Truth or Dare
by willielee
Summary: Waffle Town is really small and really boring. What's a poor girl like Akari to do to pass the time? Play Games! This is a story about friends coming together and the sillyness that can happen everyday.
1. Sir Gilly McWillikins

**So I decided to write this little thing while trying to think of something to write for my other story. Hee hee! Plus I just **_**had **_**to jump on the Truth or Dare bandwagon. Anyways, this was way fun to write considering I love writing dialogue and basically this whole thing is dialogue! So yeah… please let me know what you think!**

**P.S. I don't own these characters.**

**Truth or Dare**

**Sir. Gilly McWillikins**

Akari plopped down onto the grassy hillside, motioning for the others to join her. Gill's face turned sour at the thought of soiling his nice clothes but sat down across from her awyway. Juli sat down gracefully next to Akari, and Luke quickly sat at her other side. Candace gingerly sat down by Gill, on the side that placed her farther away from Juli, and Luna seated herself next to her sister, telling Luke curtly to scoot over. Chase took the only spot left, which was the gap between Gill and Juli.

Now they were ready to begin.

"I'll start." Akari declared. "Gilly."

He glanced up.

"Truth or dare?"

---

You may wonder, dear reader, how this silly child's game became a daily tradition among these select single people.

The answer is simple.

There is nothing better to do in Waffle Town.

---

The Beginning

Akari walked into Town Hall exhausted after working on the farm all day. She waved to the sweet girl Elli who had the unfortunate business of spending all day with that dark rain cloud of a boy, Gill. Elli of course wouldn't admit that, and she asked politely how Akari's day was and Akari politely lied to her saying that it was great. The girl then twirled over to Gill's desk where he was reading. She pulled herself on top of the desk, causing papers to fly about haphazardly, and sat down Indian style. He still hadn't looked up from his book, either oblivious, or ignoring her.

"Gilly…." she whispered, bending toward him slightly.

No response.

"Gilly…." she tried again.

Still no response.

"Gilly-willy…" she said.

His lips twitched.

"Sir. Gilly McWillikins…"

She had won, he looked up at her.

"What now?" he said in an irritated voice.

"Gilly…. I'm bored…."

"Go find someone to talk to who is as useless as you."

"What do you think I'm doing?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Go away." he said looking back at his book.

"But Gilly-kins I'm so bored! I'll die of boredom! Boredom times ten!"

"I don't care."

"But if I die of boredom, then Gilly-kins wont have anyone to play with…."

Elli's eyebrows raised.

"…play board games with…" Akari added.

Sir. Gilly McWillikins rolled his eyes.

"I've played so much Monopoly I think I would puke 'get out of jail free' cards all over the place just looking at it. And, no! I'm not playing Twister _ever _again! My back still is sore!"

"Oh, don't worry Gilly-kins! I have the best-est-est idea ever!"

"I don't think I want to know…" he mumbled.

"Oh, it will be fun Gilly!" she exclaimed, grabbing both his ears. "Come on, come on, lets go play!"

She leapt off the table (causing more papers to fly) and had her arm strung through his before he had a chance to answer.

"No!" he shouted as she pulled him out of the building, down the street, and to what she referred to as the 'Special Spot.'

Said 'Special Spot' was the shade under an ordinary tree, where the grass was cool and soft, and nobody ever came by to bother them. It actually had been Gill's special spot way before he ever met Akari, and to him it had been an ordinary tree where nobody ever came to bother him until he _found_ Akari in that tree and she _did_ bother him.

Akari plopped down onto the grass and motioned for him to sit next to her.

He shrugged and did so.

"Ok, Gilly--"

"Don't call me that… _ever._"

"But, Gilly--"

"_EVER_!"

"Ok, fine, Sir. Gilly McWillikins--"

"That's even worse! And it still has Gilly in it!"

"But I like McWillikins--"

"Apparently so does my dad! That's all he calls me now!"

"What should I call you then!?" she exclaimed.

"Gill."

"Gill?" she tasted the name as if it were foreign to her. "I don't like it."

"But that's my name. How would you feel if I called you Kar-Kar all the time!?"

She thought for a minute.

"I love it!"

He sighed. "Whatever…"

"So, you ready to play Gilly?"

He winced. "Sure, Akari."

"No, call me by my nickname!"

"I mean, sure Kar-Kar."

She smiled. "Gilly, truth or dare?"

"What!? That's the game you thought up!?"

"Sure, what's wrong with it?" she asked slightly offended.

"I haven't played Truth or Dare in….forever!"

"That's why it's a good idea, Gilly. Plus this is _Extreme_ Truth or Dare."

"What makes it extreme?"

"Oh, you'll see."

He sighed again.

"So!? Truth or dare!?"

"Uhhh…" he tipped his head to the side. "Truth."

"Do you have a secret crush!?"

"Well, you jump right to the daggers don't you?"

"Oh, come on, that's always the first truth question."

"Uh…don't have one."

"Liar!"

"I don't have one!"

"I can tell when you are lying, and right now your _lying_!"

"Don't I have a rooster or something…?"

"Oh, you mean a chicken? Yes I'll let you have two." (For those out there who don't know what chickens are, other than birds, its when you can pass up a truth and or dare. Just so ya know.)

"I'll use a chicken then." Gill said.

"Why?"

"Because I don't have a secret crush and you wont let my answer be that I don't have a secret crush!"

"I don't believe you!"

He sighed, then said monotonously, "Your right, I have a secret crush, but I'm _so_ embarrassed that I cant say it."

"I knew it!" she said punching the air with her fist.

_I lied…I thought you knew when I was lying. _He thought with a small smile.

"So Gilly, now its your turn!"

"Okay, truth or dare."

"Ahhhh…. Truth!"

He thought for a moment then said, "Do _you _have a secret crush?"

"YES!"

That threw him a little off guard, he just sat there blinking at her, then asked, "Who is it?"

"I cant tell you."

"Why?"

"Because there is only one question per truth."

"Oh…"

"So, my turn! Truth or Dare, Gilly!?"

"Ummm…. Dare I guess…"

"I dare you to run around town declaring that you are a happy rainbow unicorn."

"No." he spat.

"Why not." she asked innocently.

"Because that's stupid."

"No its not. But it would make you _look_ stupid."

He glared at her. "I won't do it."

"You using a chicken then?"

"Yes."

"Okay, if your fine with being considered a chicken that is…"

"I can deal with that." he stated.

"Alright…if your sure…"

"I am!"

"Okay! Sheesh… Ask me one!"

"Oh brother….Truth or dare?"

"Truth!"

"Ummm….uhhh…. What's your favorite food?"

"That's a lame question."

"I cant help it, I couldn't think of anything better."

"Whatever, my favorite food is Oranges."

"Oranges? Just Oranges!?"

"Yeah!"

"Anything with Oranges? Or just plain Oranges?"

"I cant answer that."

"What are you kidding me!?"

"No, only one question per tru---"

"I know!"

He stood up and said, "I'm done playing."

"No, wait Gilly! One more time, its my turn to ask you truth or dare!"

He was walking away.

"No, Gilly, no! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!"

He looked back at her over his shoulder and saw her sitting there like a sad puppy. Big brown eyes sparkling dramatically in the sunlight.

"Ok, fine." he said in a huff as he sat down next to her again.

"Yay! Truth or dare!?"

"Truth…"

"Does your dad make little dolls of all the people who live in Waffle Town using the person's ACTUAL hair!?"

_How does she know that!?_ he thought, nearly rolling down the hill in shock.

He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. "Uh….Chicken…?"

"Ah ha!! You cant do that! You have used up all your Chickens!"

"No! The first one doesn't count because you wouldn't let me answer no!"

"It counts, it counts!"

"You were planning this weren't you!?"

"That's why this is called _Extreme _Truth or Dare!"

He stared at her in shock, unable to believe that she had outsmarted him.

"How long have you known…?" he asked with an embarrassed flush on his cheeks.

"Well, Its actually a pretty funny story…One day I had--"

"Summarize it."

"Fine." She said with a little frown. "I saw that a chunk of my hair was missing one morning, and all that day I noticed how everyone else also had a chunk of hair that wasn't the same length as the rest of their hair. I knew it wasn't coincidence so I looked for a person who didn't have a missing chunk of hair. That person was your dad."

"But how did you know about the dolls?"

"I snuck into your house and ransacked the place."

He stared at her in shock.

"M-My room too…?"

"I checked everywhere!"

His cheeks turned pink as he prayed she hadn't found and/or read his diary.

"W-What did you find?"

"Well, I was looking for hair. You see, I thought your dad was collecting hair because he wanted to clone us or something…"

"Cloning!? He said with a laugh.

She nodded her head sheepishly. "Yeah, but then I found a doll. I suppose it was supposed to be me because it had a similar outfit to the ones I wear." She indicated her shorts and green T-shirt.

"Oh…." he said cocking his head. "But why didn't you just ask me about it."

"Well I knew you wouldn't just tell me, and I was bored. Plus, Extreme Truth or Dare is fun, huh!?"

He was surprised to find that he _had _had fun, and smiled slightly at her. "Yeah, it wasn't _too _bad…"

"Oh I know what that means! That means in Gillish that you had a really good time."

"What is Gillish?"

"Your language."

"What?"

"I speak fluent Gillish."

**I hope you enjoyed it!**

**I love Sir. Gilly McWillikins!**

**So the plan is to add a new character every time they go play Truth or Dare until you have the scene that is at the beginning of the chapter Next time the new character will be….a surprise….**

**Please Review!**

**P.S. Those of you who have read my other fanfic with these two characters will notice the dramatic change in them I'm sure. That's because this is an alternate universe. Haha!**


	2. Lukie Pukie

**As I promised, new chapter brings new character! Enjoy and please review!**

**P.S. I don't own these characters. (sadly)**

**Truth or Dare**

**Lukie-Pukie**

"Sir. Gilly! Sir. Gilly McWillikins!" Akari called as she burst through the door of Town Hall.

Elli raised her eyes slightly even though she knew she should be used to this now.

Sir. Gilly McWillikins was writing something furiously in a little black book as the bouncing brunette stumbled toward him.

"Gilly…" she whispered.

"Umh? Was the reply from the blond boy.

"Gilly lets go play Truth or Dare again."

"Numph…"

"Oh, come on, it was so fun last time. Can't we please go just once more,_ please_?"

"Nunphy Akry oi mun wountum ho, plem, oi hom dis wetto fo whll iut."

"Once your done with the letter then?"

Elli stared at her completely baffled. "You understood him!?"

Akari winked and put her hand up to her cheek as she whispered dramatically, "I speak Gillish."

The other woman just blinked at her. _What a strange girl…_she thought.

Gill swallowed the cookie he had been chewing and looked at the girl who was attempting to climb up on his desk. He pushed her off, a little too forcefully, and she fell to the ground and just stayed there. He turned back to his letter.

"Gilly…"she whined after a few minutes, "I think I'm dying…"

"That's nice Akari, but could you mind going to die somewhere else?"

"B-But I'm dying of a broken heart…"

Gill sighed as he rubbed his finger and thumb over his closed eyes, then he peaked his head around the desk and saw her curled up into a ball. She looked up at him in that moment, eyes glittering, tears streaming down her face, and he sprung automatically to his feet.

"A-Akari…?" he exclaimed authentic worry flooding his face.

"Y-You…you broke my heart…" she sniffled.

Elli was now on her feet too. One hand covering the blush on her face, the other on her wildly beating heart. It was perfect! As perfect as one of the scenes from her favorite soap opera, "I couldn't help but love you."

Gill rushed to Akari's side placing her head carefully in his lap as tears began to flow down his own cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Akari…W-what can I do!?"

"Just love me! Hold me forever in your arms! Never let me go!" a new rush of tears fell down her cheeks as she blushed prettily and leaned into the warmth of his body.

"I'll never leave you, Akari!" Gill declared passionately, pulling her up so he could embrace her properly and gaze into her dewy brown eyes. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck with one hand running her fingers through his white blond hair. He closed what little distance there was between their bodies by pulling her closer, nuzzling his blushing cheek against her neck.

"I-I love you Gilly…" she breathed sweetly into his ear, causing every inch of his body to tingle.

He held her face in his hands, pulling her even closer, his lips brushing hers as lightly as a butterfly's wing as he whispered, "I've always love you Akari." And with that, the distance between them was broken. He kissed her deeply and desperately, afraid she would vanish right before his eyes. Her tears still fell, making the kiss taste salty and sweet all at the same time.

Elli's hand fluttered to cover her eyes, but she couldn't help but peak at the beautiful scene from in between her fingers.

They pulled apart, both breathing deeply, as they stared into one another's eyes.

"D-Don't leave me…" Akari whispered, her eyes closing involuntarily. "I'm afraid of the darkness…"

"No, Akari, no….look at my face…I'll be your light…." he brushed the tears away from her eyes.

"Gilly…where are you…? I-I cant see your beautiful face…"

"I'm, here, I'm here…" His lips brushing across her cheeks. "I'll always be here, please open your eyes!"

She sighed heavily, her head drooping onto his shoulder. "Gilly…I love you…my Gilly…"

And then her breathing stopped.

A startled gasp choked out of him as he stared at his beloved's face.

"A-Akari…?" he whispered, trying to swallow the tears that were already slipping out his eyes. "No, Akari wake up!" he kissed her lips roughly, but she still didn't move.

Elli had tears rolling down her cheeks, both hands now covered her heart.

"Akari! You can't leave me!" he shrieked making his voice crack. "Y-You can't--you can't leave me…you can't…" He buried his face in her hair, his voice came out muffled as he yelled, "I love you!! Come back….Akari….come, …come back…I-I love you…I need you…"

"What are you crying about Elli?" a cynical voice demanded.

Elli blinked, and suddenly the heartfelt scene of Akari cradled in Gill's loving arms disappeared, and a new and more realistic scene now came into being before her. Akari still sprawled on the floor, and Gill seated at his desk staring at her.

"Oh don't worry about it!" she said, cheeks burning, flapping her hand as if she could brush his question away.

_That is the last time I stay up until two in the morning watching "I couldn't help but love you."_ she thought with a sigh as she sat back at her desk. _But oddly enough…those too looked good together…_ she quickly covered her face as she felt her cheeks turn redder.

---

Akari plopped herself down on the grassy hillside, and motioned for Gill to join her. Once they were both seated comfortably she said, "I think its your turn to go first."

"Oh, okay…Truth or dare?"

"Dare!" she replied.

He tilted his chin to the side thoughtfully. "I dare you to run up and hug the first person we see walk past here!" he said, proud that he had come up with a good dare.

"Ok…" she mumbled, hoping that it wasn't someone who would make it awkward.

They stared at the road. Akari looking right and Gill looking left, but they couldn't see anybody.

They waited.

And waited.

And waited.

"Oh forget it!" Akari exclaimed. "Lets just continue on and I'll keep an eye out for anybody."

He shrugged.

"So, then its my turn." she said happily, "Truth or dare, Gilly?"

"Truth…"

"Are you good at keeping secrets?"

He thought about this for a minute before answering, "I don't know…I guess…"

"Oh…has nobody ever told you a secret they wanted you to keep?"

"I don't think so. If I have been told a secret, I don't remember it, so I don't think I told anybody…"

She nodded thoughtfully.

"Why" he asked.

"Just curious."

"You want to tell me a secret?" he teased.

"No, you just look like the kind of person who would be good at keeping secrets."

He decided to take that as a compliment. "Thanks…"

"So now it's your turn again."

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?"

She laughed.

"Bad question?" he asked.

"No, its just I know exactly what I'd be."

He cocked his head at her.

"A cat!" she exclaimed."

"Really?"

"Yes, because a cat just sits in the sun and sleeps all day, and I wish I could do that. Plus whenever a cat comes by, people come over and cuddle it and love it and I want someone to cuddle me~"

He raised an eyebrow, "People also hate cats, and many think that they are cursed. Not unlike you, I guess…"

She frowned, "Thanks for ruining my fantasy, Gilly…"

"Yeah, anytime…" he said with a smug smile.

"Truth or dare, Gilly-Willy"

"Uh….truth…"

"So since you have a secret crush….I demand to know who it is! Tell me!"

"LUKE!" Gill blurted.

"W-What!?" she said nearly falling over. "You like Luke!?"

"He's right over there!" he exclaimed, pointing down the road where indeed the blue haired boy was standing. "Go on." He said turning to her. "Go hug him!"

"Oh yeah…"she mumbled. Why did it have to be Luke? Of course Luke would make this awkward. But in keeping with the dare, she stood up and ran down the hill. The momentum of running downhill instantly made her wobble and stumble until she tripped right into Luke who steadied her by putting his two strong hands on her shoulders. He bent down slightly and grinned at her face.

"Oh hey Akari! Lucky meeting you here! What's up!?" he exclaimed happily.

"Nothing much." Akari said with a shrug, then suddenly wrapped her arms around him as best she could.

He stiffened slightly under her touch, then wrapping his own arms around her. He then pulled her closer and rested his head on top of hers.

One.

Two.

Three.

She pulled away, with kind of a clueless grin on her face, him still trying to embrace her. And then she turned and waved to Gill who was snickering under the tree.

"Wait, what…?" Luke asked as she stared walking back up the hill. How could this girl just run up and hug him and then walk away!?

"Oh, Lukie, do you want to play too!?" she asked, hitting herself in the head. Where were her manners!?

"Play what?" he smiled at her silly nickname for him.

"Why, Truth or Dare!"

He blinked for a second as if he were staring at the sun, and then an unbelievable grin spread across his face.

"Really!? You guys are playing Truth or Dare!?"

She nodded vigorously.

"I love Truth or Dare!" he spewed as he darted up the hill and sat down next to Gill before she even had a chance to move.

-**And then there were three…**-

"Okay, Lukie Pukie, we'll give you a turn first since your new." she said with a grin after sitting down next to him.

"Wait a second." Gill interrupted. "Lukie Pukie!?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" she asked.

"Pukie as in puke?"

"No,no,Gilly, you are so stupid sometimes. Pukie as in 'poo' plus 'kie"

"Oh, that makes it so much better that your calling him poo instead of puke." he said sarcastically. He turned to Luke and asked, "Aren't you disturbed by this?"

The bandana clad boy just shrugged. "I think its cute."

Gill put his hand to his forehead. _Kill me….I'm so pathetic I'm hanging out with idiots._

"Sir. Gilly McWillikins here, has issues with my nicknaming." she said to Luke casually. Luke had the audacity to laugh at that, but the second he saw Gill's "I'm going to kill you face," he sucked his laughter back in, making his cheeks puff out.

"As I was saying, before I was so _rudely _interrupted," she glared at Gill, "You can go ahead and ask one of us a Truth or Dare question, Lukie."

He wanted to ask Gill a question, but seeing as he still had a hostile expression on his face he figured it better for his health to ask Akari.

"Akari, truth or dare?"

"Dare!"

_Oh crap_, he thought, _I suck at thinking up dares…_

He scratched his head, or rather, his flame patterned bandana, trying to come up with something good.

"Alright! I got it!" he exclaimed.

She leaned forward eagerly, hanging on his every word.

"Okay, go run around the tree flapping your arms like a chicken and singing 'Old McDonald had a farm!"

She did so happily. Wiggling her elbows up and down and singing at the top of her lungs was not something foreign to her, (in fact she had done it this morning!) but she changed the word of the song to,_"Gilly McWillikins had a farm, E-I-E-I-O!"_

After about the third verse Gill told her to sit down while he still had some respect for her.

"Okay, so its my turn now…" she said cocking her head to the side and looking up into the tree branches. "Lukie, truth or dare?"

"Truth!"

"Great! Do you have a secret crush!?"

"And don't say 'Chicken' because she won't believe you." Gill cut in.

Luke tugged sheepishly at the blue hair that was sticking out of his bandana, blushed slightly, then exclaimed, "Yeah, I do!"

"Oh, how cute!" Akari gushed at him while Gill rolled his eyes. "That's so great that you can admit that proudly! I'm really curious as to who it is!"

His blush deepened but he opened his mouth as if he would tell her.

"No! Don't!" she exclaimed covering her ears, "Only one answer per question per truth."

"Oh…" he breathed. "It's my turn again, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Okay, Akari, truth or dare?"

"Sheesh, forgotten all about me have you?" Gill grumbled.

"Oh, no Gilly. We could only forget you through therapy. And, truth."

Gill's eyes narrowed, Luke cracked a grin.

"Do you have a talent that nobody knows about?" Luke asked.

"Other than annoying people?" Gill added.

She frowned at the snippy blond. "Yeah, I actually do. I can read people's minds!"

Luke stared at her in amazement while Gill just chuckled and mumbled a low, "Whatever…"

"I can!" she said with a nod. "I'll prove it!" She put her two index fingers on the temples of her head and hummed a mystic tune. "Riiight noooow Giiiilly thiiinks I caaaan't read miiiinds."

"Amazing!" Gill shouted with mock applause.

"Come on, Akari." Luke said, realizing she was faking it. "Do you have a real hidden talent?"

She thought for a minute. "I'm a pretty decent artist, not that I've drawn anything in a long time."

"Oh, wow, that's excellent Akari! I would love to see one of your drawings!" Luke said animatedly.

"Okay then, I'll draw one just for you!"

He smiled even bigger, then said, "Its your turn."

"I don't know, I think I'm pretty tired. Lets end the game here."

"What already!?" Luke exclaimed at the same time Gill mumbled, "Finally…"

"Yeah, but we can play tomorrow. Just meet us here at the same time."

"Alright." he said as he pulled himself to his feet and helped Akari up. Gill stood on his own eyeing the other two suspiciously.

"Well, I'm off this way." Luke said pointing in one direction.

"We are this way." She said, pointing the opposite way. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow!" she said with a grin.

His grin put her grin to shame as he said cheerfully, "Yeah, bye Akari!"

She waved as he walked away, then once he was at a reasonably safe distance he called back to them.

"Bye Sir. Gilly McWillikins!!!!"

Long after Luke's voice had finished echoing through Gill's mind, the infuriated look on his face remained.

"You have no idea how much I hate you right now, Akari." he mumbled.

**So I really hoped you liked it.**

**Were you shocked at the romance scene? I thought I'd throw that in to scare the crap out of whoever actually reads this. Heehee~**

**Please review! And maybe even help me pick a character to go next! (but it has to be one of the ones in the first scene of the first chapter.)**

**Thanks!~**


	3. ChasyRoo

_**Part 3! **_

_**Thanks for all your reviews!!! I adore you all!!!!**_

_**Truth **__**or **__**Dare**_

_**Chasy-Roo **_

_Gill was rifling through a filing cabinet wildly in search of a missing document. Papers flew through the air, an artillery of impending paper cuts. _

_Elli sat with her face in a book, unable to look at him without having the soap opera fantasy pop up into her head with vivid clarity. She glanced at the clock, then thought, __Akari should be here any second…_

The door burst open, bringing Akari and a warm spring wind into the room.

The girl stared with fixation at the papers that were seemingly falling from the ceiling, then bellowed, "SNOW!!!"

She skipped over to the snow maker, (Gill) and danced with her tongue sticking out.

Elli's hand flew to her face as she tried to cover the blush that appeared when she saw them together. Instantly (in her head) the chaotic scene shifted to one of Gill turning around with a loving grin and embracing Akari with a heartfelt sigh. Elli shook her head. She couldn't let that happen again.

What actually happened was of quite a different nature.

"Get out, Akari!" Gill barked, slamming the cabinet shut then opening another.

"But Gilly, its time to go play Truth or Dare! We promised Lukie!" she said, still twirling as the last papers fluttered to the ground.

"I'm far too busy today. I cant find this paper that I need copied and printed by tomorrow."

She suddenly yelped and went cross eyed as she tried to look at her tongue.

"I got a paper cut on my tongue!" she whimpered to him.

He glanced at her once over his shoulder then mumbled, "Your such an idiot…"

She nursed her stinging tongue for a moment then asked, "What does the paper say?"

"It says 'TOP SECRET' in big red lettering on the front. And then it has a dancing duck in the top right corner." He mumbled as he began to shift through the cabinet more vigorously.

"Dancing duck, huh?" she asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yeah, my father's idea."

She glanced around the room for such a paper, then said, "If I find it, will you come play Truth or Dare?"

He scoffed, then said cynically, "Sure, whatever. But I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon--"

He looked down at the paper she had just shoved under his nose. Sure enough, it was the paper he had been looking for, complete with a salsa dancing duck.

"Wow!" Elli exclaimed from the other side of the room, "He's been looking for that all day, and you found it in one minute!" She then had to cover her cheeks again as the two looked over at her, they were standing very close.

"How did you--where did you find it?" Gill finally asked as he took it from her.

"It was on your desk!" she declared.

"Are you kidding me…?" he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Nope!" she exclaimed, "Gee, Gilly. You always seem to overlook the things that are right in front of you."

His lips curled as he looked at the paper in his hands. _Stupid paper_, he thought bitterly.

"Well then lets go!" Akari shouted as she pried him from his spot.

He dragged his feet with a determined frown. "Noooooooo!"

"Oh Gilly, stop being such a spoil sport!" she exclaimed with her hands on her hips.

"I've got work to do…" he mumbled as he walked back over to his desk.

She quickly jumped behind Gill and pinned his arms down with hers.

"Oh you can do that later." she said as she dragged him once again toward the door, him screaming protests all the way. She glanced over at Elli who was practically hyperventilating, and asked, "Do you want to come too?"

Elli's cheeks deepened in color as she batten the air in front of her face and said, "N-No, no, I couldn't possibly!"

Akari just shrugged and pulled the not-too-happy Gill out of the building.

---

As they neared the 'Special Spot,' Akari saw the unmistakable azure haired boy sitting under the tree.

"Lukie!" she exclaimed, unwinding her arm from Gill's so she could wave enthusiastically to the boy who was now sprinting down the hill toward them.

"Hey, Akari!" Luke said with a huge grin as he picked her up off her feet and spun her around.

"Wooooow!" she exclaimed with a laugh as she wound her arms around his neck tightly. Once she was back on her feet she smiled up into his golden eyes and said, "Boy, you are here early Lukie!"

"I was just so excited I couldn't wait anymore!" he replied.

Gill just stared with annoyance written all over his face. Luke noticed this and wondered for a second why he was in a bad mood already. Then he cautiously asked the other boy, "Do you want me to spin you around too, Gill…?"

Gill's eyes enlarged to the size of golf balls.

"I guess I could…" Luke continued cluelessly, "But it might be a little harder since you aren't as light as Akari here--"

"I don't want you to spin me!!" Gill barked at the blue haired boy.

"Okay, now…" Akari said, trying to stop her giggling so she could glare affectively at Gill, "We came here to play a game, so lets get down to business!"

They sat down in their regular seats. Akari at the base of the tree, Luke on her left hand side, Gill across from her. Everyone happy and calm….except for Gill, that is…

"I think it was your turn Akari." Luke said as he leaned up against the trunk of the tree.

"Alright. Since Gilly threw a hissy fit the last time he wasn't called on, I'll choose him."

Gill raised an eyebrow.

"Truth or dare, Gilly?"

"humph…dare…"

She thought with a tilt of her head. "I dare you to…to…laugh uncontrollably for five minutes!"

"Are you kidding me…?"

"Nope! And you might as well do it so you can save up your chickens!" she said with a wink.

He sighed, opened his mouth up as wide as he could, and took a deep breath.

"Wait!" she yelled, holding up her hand. "Lukie, you got a stop watch?"

"Yes-siree!" he said, whipping said device from his pocket. "I had the strangest feeling this would come in handy!" He pressed a few a few buttons cheerily, then indicated to Gill a 'three, two, one,' with his fingers.

**Beep**

"A-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Luke and Akari stared. The smiles falling from their faces.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH--Ooooh--heeheee-HAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"Ya know…" Akari began, with a side glance at Luke. "This should be funny…"

"Yeah, I know…" Luke said, scratching his head. "But its not. Its actually kind of scary…"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! TEHEHEHEHEHE!"

"Yeah…_disturbing_ even…"

Gill's eyes were vacant orbs. His face emotionless even though he was forcing out, what should be, contagious laughter. And his finger, that remarkably resembled claws, were hooked in the tangles of grass on either side of him. All in all, he looked rather terrifying.

Akari sighed. "How much longer of this do we have to endure?" she asked Luke.

He glanced at his stopwatch, "He's only been laughing for 30 seconds now…"

"Oh shoot!" she exclaimed, "Does he always laugh like this?"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"I dunno…" Luke said with a shrug.

"Well, if he does, I cant imagine people would want to tell him any jokes."

Luke nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah…his laughter is scarier than his anger…"

Gill, who was _still_ there and _could_ hear everything they were saying, narrowed his eyes with annoyance…but continued laughing.

"GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"So, Lukie, how was work today!?" Akari asked cheerfully.

"Oh, alright, I guess…" Luke said with a shrug. "Its also kind of why I was here so early today…I broke my ax…"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Oh-no! Not your ax!" Akari gasped.

Luke whimpered slightly. "Yeah…it was….really emotional…"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"That's awful!" Akari said, placing her hand comfortingly on the young man's shoulder. "You can tell me about it….if you want to…of course"

He sighed. "Well, I was chopping some wood, like always…"

"KAHAHAHAHAHA--(gasp for air)--AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"….and then I hit some really hard wood."

She nodded encouragingly.

"And you see…my baby can chop through every type of wood imaginable. So I thought 'this would be no big deal, right?"

"BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"But it was a big deal… I chopped, but the wood didn't even crack…."

"GEHEHEHEHEHEHEH!"

"…and then I chopped again, this time it split a little, but not enough…"

"TEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"

"A-And then…I chopped one…last….time…a-and….the bladeoftheaxfelloff!!!!"

His last words were so garbled together that it took her a second to realize what he had just said.

"O-Oh, the blade fell off!?"

"TAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

He nodded slightly, his bottom lip quivering.

"Oh how horrible!" she exclaimed, taking one of his callused hands in both of hers.

His eyes were now fixed on their hands. Thoughts of his ax now vanished.

"GEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEH!"

"Don't worry." she said with a sweet smile, rubbing his hand gently. "I'm sure your father will be able to fix it!"

"Fix what?" he asked as he stared into her eyes.

"AHEM!" Gill muttered and then continued laughing madly again.

"O-Oh yeah! My ax!" Luke said smacking himself in the head. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sure he will!"

"That's great!" She said cluelessly, slipping her hands away from his. Then she leaned over to look at the stop watch he had in his left hand. "Crap, still another two minutes…."

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"So…." Akari mumbled. "What did you have for breakfast….?"

Luke was about to answer when a tall boy with peach colored hair poked his head around the tree.

"What are you guys doing….?" he asked quietly, his violet eyes going wide with confusion as he saw the hysterical blond boy.

"Oh! Chasy-Roo!" Akari yelled suddenly, leaping to her feet.

"H-Hey Akari,…Luke,…Gill…" Chase said with a little smile curling his lips, and then a worried glance at Gill. "What's wrong with him…?"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it!" she said with a toss of her hand. "Come sit down and play with us!" She grabbed both of his hands in hers and brought him over to a spot next to Gill, urging him to sit.

He sat down awkwardly, eyeing the boy next to him with an uncertain sideways glance.

"So what are we playing?" he asked turning back to the cheery brunette who was bouncing in her seat.

"We are playing Truth or Dare!!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh…really?"

"YES! And right now we are waiting for Gill's time to be up on his dare of laughing for five minutes uncontrollably!"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

"Oh…." Chase nodded, peaking at Gill again out of the corner of his eye. "How much longer does he have…?"

Luke glanced at his watch. "Twenty seconds."

Gill's eyes practically sparkled with anticipation and his laughter became louder suddenly, making Chase jump a little.

"GAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"He's kind of….scary when he laughs, isn't he…?" Chase muttered.

Akari nodded enthusiastically. "We totally and completely agree!"

"Don't worry!" Luke announced triumphantly, "He's got _ten _seconds!" and then he started counting down. "_Ten, nine, eight, seven_--" (Akari joined in happily) "_six, five, four--_" (Chase caught on) "_Three! Two!! One!!!"_

Gill gasped heavily as if he had just run a mile and his head drooped forward.

"You okay, Gilly?" Akari asked leaning toward him.

He just sat there huffing and puffing, locks of his white blond hair falling in his face.

Chase turned to him. Wondering if he should pat him on the back, get him a glass of water, or just sit there. He chose the latter.

"G-Gill…?" Luke called hesitantly.

Suddenly Gill's head shot up and his eyes locked onto the girl across from him.

"N-Never….(pant)…never ask me…(pant)…t-to do that….(pant)…again!"

She nodded, eyes wide. Then she frowned and tipped her head. "Aren't you overreacting just a tiny bit Gilly?"

He stared at her.

"I mean, _come on!_ Its not as if the dare asked you to risk your life or anything!? You were _just _laughing!"

Gill sighed heavily, giving up, then glanced over at Chase who was staring at him wide eyed.

"So…Chasy-Roo…?" Gill mumbled, taking him off guard. "That's her nickname for you…?"

"Yeah…" Chase said. "She said when I first met her, that she thought my apron looked like a kangaroo pouch….and I guess Chasy-Roo just stuck…"

Gill looked over at the grinning Akari and rolled his eyes.

"So!" she began, "Gilly, it's your turn!"

"Alright… Akari, truth or dare."

"Truth!"

"Do you know how much I hate you?"

"Yes!"

"Good."

"Okay my turn!" she rubbed her chin. "Lukie, truth or dare!?"

"Um….dare!" he said punching the air with his fist.

"I dare you to….roll down the hill until you throw up!"

"W-What!?" The blue haired boy's eyes widened fearfully. Then he jumped to his feet and ran over to the edge of the forest and acted as if he was talking to the bushes except for the fact that strange noises came from him. He toddled back to them, brushing his mouth off on his glove and sat back down next to Akari with a pink face.

"S-Sorry… I get sick just at the thought of throwing up…"

"Well okay then!" Chase exclaimed leaning back with a shocked expression on his face that he shared with the other two observers of that scene.

"Um…yeah…you can just say you did that dare…" Akari mumbled. "Now its your turn!"

Luke's eyes scanned the faces in the circle once before landing on the newcomer's face.

"Chase, truth or dare."

Chase contemplated this choice thoughtfully. If he chose dare, then he would likely have to do something similar to what Luke and Gill were asked and he didn't really want to puke or get lightheaded off laughing. So he decided to play it safe.

"Truth." he stated proudly. Nothing bad could happen if he said truth.

"Do you have a secret crush!?" Luke asked with a wide grin.

Chase fell back in surprise. That was the only dangerous truth question!

"Um…why do you need to know that?" he inquired with a suspicious glance and a raise of his eyebrow.

Luke's face fell. "I don't care…"

"Then why did you ask me that!?"

"B-Because that's always the first truth question!"

"No its not!"

"S-Sure it is--Hey you don't think that I…?"

Chase scrutinized him.

Luke puffed up his cheeks, "No!…no…don't even go there!"

Chase rolled his eyes then laughed. "I wasn't! I was just kidding!"

"Oh…" Luke mumbled calming down.

"I'll tell you…" Chase said, rubbing a strand of his peach colored hair in-between his fingers as a blush lighted his cheeks.

"N-Never mind." Luke said in a huff as he turned away. "I don't want to know anyway."

Gill and Akari just stared. Their eyes jumping from boy to boy as if it had been a tennis match.

"I'm hungry." Luke complained finally. "Lets go get something to eat and play again tomorrow."

"Can I come too?" Chase asked, searching Akari's eyes.

"Why, yes, of course, Chasy-Roo!! The more the merrier!" She exclaimed.

They all stood and started walking down the hill together. Akari wound her arm through Gill's like always, and like always, began to talk his ear off. She found herself laughing at something she said and thought particularly funny, but frowned when she say the stoic expression on her escort's face.

"Well, what's wrong Gilly…? Do you not like my joke?"

"No that's not it…" He said touching his cheek gingerly with his free hand. "It hurts to laugh."

**Thanks for reading. I hoped you liked it! Please review!!!!**

**Any comments are appreciated!!**


	4. Luna Lina Loo

_**Oh yay!!!! Part 4!!**_

_**Dear Bunnychan360: Thanks for the ideas! I loved them! (And I'll probably use them sometime in the next few chapters so watch out!) And yeah…I can't stand Maya either….she will never join the group if I can help it… HAHA! Thanks oh so much for your review!**_

_**Dear Random Jelly Beans: I love you. That's all I can say. Reading your review made me laugh, I'm so glad you are liking the story so far! I'm torn between Chase and Gill as well. They are both just so loveable! And I added more Chasyness with you in mind. Of course I would have added more Chasyness anyway because really, how could the story be good without Chasyness!?**_

_**Dear all other reviewers: I love you all as well. I'm just too lazy to write anymore. **_

_**Remember to review!!!! You have no idea how much I love it!**_

_**(I don't own these characters. If I did Gill and Chase would be on my couch drinking lemonade….real Gills and Chases, not cartoon ones…)**_

_Truth or Dare_

_Luna-Lina-Loo_

_Elli sat on her couch, the dim bluish glow of the television screen lighting up her face. One hand held a tissue to her cheek, the other tried to still her fluttering heart. On the screen were a pair of star-crossed lovers in their final embrace as their yacht sank._

"_I love you Victoria…I always have…and always will." Said the male figure._

"_Oh Demetrius!" the woman supposedly named Victoria gasped. "I love you too! But I need to tell you something before we die!"_

"_What, my love?"_

"_Before Dorothy died of emphysema, she told me that you were her son!"_

_The supposed Demetrius gasped. "Why did she never tell me! She was the mother I have been searching for all my life!"_

"_She was ashamed, my love. She thought your would never forgive her for leaving you in Venice when you were two! But her dying wish was that you knew how much she loved you!" _

_The man then buried his face in his lover's hair trying to hide the remarkably loud sobs that were escaping his muscular frame. _

"_Its okay, my love, we will join Dorothy in heaven soon." she whispered into his ear._

_Suddenly an announcer's voice was heard. "Will Demetrius and Victoria escape from the sinking yacht in time!? Will Oswald and Bruce come to their rescue or get lost on the sea!? Will Treasure tell Jeremy her true feelings before he marries Heather!? Find out next time on I COULDN'T HELP BUT LOVE YOU!"_

_The screen swapped to a taco commercial as Elli brushed away the last of her tears and glanced at the clock._

"_Oh no! It's two in the morning!" she gasped. Her hand reached for the remote just as the theme song of "I couldn't help but love you" came on. Yay! A marathon!_

"_Oh I don't suppose one more could hurt." she mumbled as she wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders and pulled the tissue box into her lap. _

_There she was in her favorite corner of the world, surrounded by romance novels, chocolate fudge ice cream, and the entire twelve seasons of "I couldn't help but love you" placed shrine-like on a shelf. All where guilty pleasures she loved….until the next morning when she woke up late…_

_---_

"_Elli!" Spat the blond boy when she burst through the doors of Town Hall. "This is the third time this week that you were late!"_

"_I-I'm sorry, Gill…I-I've just had some problems sleeping…." __Liar. _She thought. _I've been having some problems waking up!!_

"Its fine…" he mumbled returning to his book with a wave of his hand that meant for her to sit in her chair. "Just don't be late anymore, it's not like you…"

"Yes…" she set her bag down, unable to pull her eyes from the boy she worked with. He was such a beautiful boy; the way his white blond hair curled across his brow, and the deep intensity of his blue eyes were simply piercing! She found that he resembled a character named Daniel in her favorite soap opera. And just like Daniel, she suspected Gill harbored a secret love deep in his heart, hidden so that even the stars couldn't see. She blushed at her poetic thoughts, a slight giggle escaping her lips. Said giggle caused Gill to look up sharply, causing her to stumble back into her chair, causing it to tumble over with her in it.

She stared up at the ceiling, waiting with an embarrassed blush for the kind tendencies of Daniel to shine forth through Gill as he came to help her up.

Gill didn't move.

She sighed and pulled herself to her feet. "So much for Daniel…" she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"N-Nothing!" she squeaked, a fresh blush lighting her cheeks.

---

The hours passed slowly. Gill flipping through a book mechanically while Elli daydreamed.

Where was Akari?

It was a good twenty minutes since the time she normally bust into Town Hall.

How strange…

Just then the doors burst open bringing Akari, Luke and Chase into the room.

Elli's eyes flew up to the two tall handsome young men with the short girl. _Well, I had no idea Akari was this popular with the boys! _she thought, suddenly her heart going out to Gill who wouldn't stand a chance.

"Hey Elli!" Akari said cheerily too her. "You know Chasy-Roo and Lukie-Pukie, right?"

"Y-Yes, of course…" she managed to chirp out. "H-Hello…"

They smiled at her, making her heart beat fast and her knees shake.

"Gilly-Kins!" Akari squealed as she bounced over to the blond boy who was ignoring her. "Lookie! I brought our friends, they want to go play!"

Gill glanced up at the two boys who began shuffling uncomfortably under his gaze. "No." was all he said.

She whipped her head around to look at the others with an expression on her face that said "see what I have to deal with?"

"When will you just give up, Gilly? You know I'm going to make you come."

"I'll give up the day I die."

"So overly dramatic." she mumbled as she came up behind him and tried to heave him up out of his seat. But Gill became dead weight, making her attempts be in vain. She sighed heavily, then suddenly perked up as she leaned forward and whispered seductively into his ear, "I'll give you a …..tomato."

Gill was up so fast and propelling himself toward the door with his arm strung through Akari's, (Yes, that's right.) that the others where still staring at his desk long after he had disappeared.

"Does he like tomatoes…?" Chase mumbled to Luke with a shocked expression on his face.

"I don't know….sure seems like it…" Luke said with a cock of his head.

A sting of gasps for breath caught their attention, they slowly turned around.

Elli was hyperventilating.

---

Akari and Gill were seated in their usual spot when Luke and Chase made it up the hill.

"Sheesh! You could have told us you were going to make a break for it!" Luke complained, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Even if I would have told you, you still would have been far behind me." Gill muttered staring at the grass.

"Ohhhhhh…. Thems fightin words…." Luke said, eyes narrowing, twirling invisible guns into an invisible holster.

"Come on guys, sit down so we can play." Akari said, patting the grass next to her.

They sat, one on each side of her.

"So whose turn is it?" she asked.

"Chase's I think." said Luke.

"Oh that's right! So, go ahead Chasy!"

Chase glanced around the circle….or rather, square…

"Akari, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare!!"

"I dare you to….to…."

"Spit it out Chase!" Luke exclaimed.

"to….to….oh I know! I dare you to rip Luke's bandage off his nose!"

Luke gasped.

Chase smirked.

Gill rolled his eyes.

Akari shrugged.

"Well okay…" she reached over, one hand outstretched to Luke who was leaning back with his hands covering his nose protectively.

"NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!" he wailed as if she were going to rip off his fingernails instead of a band aid.

"Come on, Lukie! Don't be such a baby! It's just a band aid. Here, I promise I'll get you another one, I cool one even, like one with dinosaurs on it." she coaxed him like a two year old.

"N-No! You don't understand! I cant take it off!"

"Oh bull crap!" Chase exclaimed. "I'll rip it off myself!"

"NOOOOOOO!"

By now both Akari and Chase were wrestling Luke to get at the bandage. Luke whipped his head about wildly, shouting incoherent death threats while he was being mauled.

"Hold still would-ja!" Akari yelped, as the boy's jaws nearly clamped over her hand.

Gill stared. Arms crossed over his chest.

"Sheesh! You sure are squirmy….here, I'll pin him down." Chase said as he push all his weight on Luke's chest.

The air suddenly whooshed out of his lungs from the pressure and from the fit of laughter he broke into.

"GYAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OH STOP! YOUR KILLING ME!"

"Akari!? What are you doing!?"

She laughed. "Tickling!"

"BWAHAHAHAHA! NO AKARI NO! STOP S-STOOOOP! TEEEHEEEHEE!"

Her fingers were flying at his sides, tickling him until the tears ran down his eyes.

"This is better than I imagined…" Chase commented with a grin, also tickling the boy who was pinned beneath him.

"OOOOOOOH! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Luke cried, "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

He kicked frantically trying to be free of his two torturers, Gill scooted away, eyes closed, brow furrowed in annoyance.

And then….

**Rip**

Luke's hand flew to his nose where his bandage had been a second before.

"Oh, Lukie! You look so cute without your band aid!" she cooed, waving the bandage in the air triumphantly.

Luke blushed underneath Chase.

"What are you talking about!?" Chase exclaimed. "He doesn't look any different!" He got up off the blue haired boy, allowing him to breath. "There is not even a cool scar or anything!"

Luke's blush deepened.

"Yeah there is, look!" she pointed to a little spot on his nose.

Chase took a closer look.

"It's a…..it's a heart!?" he exclaimed.

Luke's face turned violet as he shoved Chase away from him. "Bo did it to me! He drew a heart on my nose while I was sleeping!"

"Silly little Bo-Bo!" Akari said with a grin.

"Are you serious?" Chase raised his eye brows.

"YES! He was trying to get me back, because I drew a star on his forehead once, but then he did THIS (pointing to nose) in permanent marker!!!!!!"

"I don't think its permanent…" Akari said. Then without warning she licked her thumb and rubbed the heart right off his nose.

Luke's face flushed anew and then he asked, "Is it gone…?"

She nodded.

"I'VE BEEN WEARING THIS BLASTED BAND AID TO HIDE THAT STUPID THING FOR--FOR---FOREVER! AND IT CAME RIGHT OFF!?"

She nodded.

"GYAH!"

They all stepped back while Luke had his little temper tantrum, then sat down, waiting for him to join them.

"It's my turn?" he finally asked after calming down.

Two heads nodded.

"Okay. Hey, Gill wake up!"

One blue eye snapped open.

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare…"

"I dare you to race me."

The blue eye narrowed.

"Your on." Gill hissed.

---

They wandered further up the hill of their Special Spot on the edge of the forest.

"First one to the beach and back wins!" Akari declared, raising Luke's flame bandana in the air like a flag. "On your mark!"

Gill and Luke crouched.

"Get set!"

Their muscles tensed.

"GO!"

The bandana fell to her side and the two runners shot down the hill as if the devil was chasing them. Luke pulled into the lead at the base of the hill but soon Gill was nipping at his heels. Akari and Chase watched, holding their hands up to shade their eyes as the two disappeared around a building.

"Well, now what?" Chase asked.

"We wait."

They went back over to the tree and lounged in the shade. The breeze ruffled their hair playfully and made the tree itself seem to sigh. The conversation of the leaves was a soothing sound, one that made them want to close their eyes and sleep. They didn't have to say anything, and that's what she liked about Chase, they could sit in silence and with him it would not be an awkward silence. But a peaceful silence.

"Chasy?" she asked finally.

"Huh?"

"Truth or dare?"

He smiled. "Truth."

"Do you have any secrets?"

He looked at her. They were laying side by side and the light dancing on her eyelids made her look soft and angelic, so unlike her usual energetic 'go get em' attitude.

"Yes." he said in almost a whisper.

"I'm not going to ask you what they are." she said reassuringly, eyes still closed. "But…is it ever hard to keep them…like, sometimes does it seem as if they are going to burst right out of you whether you like it or not?"

He thought for a minute. "Yeah…" His violet eyes were worried as he watched her lips move again.

"Oh…"

"What is it Akari?"

Her eyes slowly opened and met with his. "Nothing."

"You can't trick me. I know when there is something wrong….tell me please…"

She looked into his eyes. "Well…I--"

"What cha guys doing!?" a high cheery voice sang above them.

Their eyes flashed up to see the big blue eyes of Luna blinking down at them.

"Luna-Lina-Loo!!!" Akari squealed, all worries dashed away, as jumped to her feet and wrapped the smaller girl in a tight hug.

"Oh Akari! I cant breath!" she gasped from under her arms.

"Oh Lu-Lu, do you want to play with us!?" she said releasing the petite frilly thing.

Luna glanced down again at Chase who was staring up at them blankly.

"Are you sure this isn't a game for two?" she teased.

"Of course not, Lu-Lu!" Akari didn't get it. "We are playing Truth or Dare, and Truth or Dare is always better with more people! Gill and Luke are playing too but--" She glanced in the direction they had left. "It looks like they aren't finished with their dare yet…"

"Gill and Luke, huh? Playing together? Well, that's something I thought id never hear…" Luna said with a disbelieving look. "Not playing nicely I assume…"

"Of course not." Came Chase's voice from the ground.

She laughed. "Truth or Dare… I haven't played that in so long. Can we start without them?"

"Sure!" Akari exclaimed, and plopped down on the grass next to Chase.

Luna sat next to her and then tipped her head to the side. "Can I go first?"

"Yeah!" Akari cheered, tugging on Chase's foot.

"Okay…Chase." She leaned over to look into the eyes of the boy still sprawled on the ground. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." he mumbled.

She frowned, apparently not happy with that. "I dare you to…trip Luke when he comes back."

A mischievous grin curled across his face, he would only be too happy to oblige.

"Alright…" he said, then sat up and looked at Akari. "Akari, truth or dare?"

"Truth!" Akari said with a huge grin.

"Tell me your deepest, darkest secret." he said, hoping she would tell him what had been bothering her just before Luna came in and interrupted.

She tipped her head to the side and racked her brain.

"A secret…huh…? A deep, dark secret…." she scratched her head. "Well…Iv never told anyone this….you see, I keep my dirty socks under my bed….really deep…."

Chase smacked himself in the head. He would have to be more blunt next time.

"And its really dark under there too…" she finished, with a thoughtful finger to her lip.

Luna snickered. "Well that sure fits the criteria, now doesn't it, Chase?"

"Yeah…" he mumbled.

Akari grinned at him, making an involuntary smile appear.

"Yay! My turn!" She turned to Luna. "Lu-Lu, truth or dare?"

"Truth." she said with a flip of her purple pigtails.

"Ohhhhhh…..DOYOUHAVEASECRETCRUSH!?!?!?!?!?!?" Akari exclaimed, punching both fists into the air and narrowly missing Chase's face.

Luna nearly fell backwards with that sudden explosion. "What did you say?"

"She wants to know if you have a secret crush…" Chase translated with a blank expression.

"Oh yeah….that's always the first truth question…" Luna muttered while Akari nodded exaggeratedly. Her face suddenly flushed and her eyes searched the grass as if she lost something. Akari searched the grass too looking for whatever Luna was. "I do like someone…" she eventually whispered.

"Oh, really?" Akari said, her eyes turning up from the grass and landing on something far off that was neither here nor there.

Luna still stared into the grass, a lovely expression on her face.

Time seemed to move slower, the breeze tossing their hair in slow motion, the seconds between Akari's blinks became longer and longer as she spaced out.

Chase's eyes shifted from girl to girl. _Awkward…. _"Well then…" He finally said to break the silence. "Isn't it your turn Luna?"

"Oh yes!" she gasped, then, "Wait what's that?"

"What's what?" Chase asked as he looked over his shoulder at the object Luna was pointing to, the same object Akari had been staring at for a solid minute without blinking. It looked to be a large dust cloud…that was hurtling toward then at a remarkable speed. Soon arms that were pumping wildly could be made out in the mass. Then legs, and eventually heads. The heads of Luke and Gill, of course.

"They're back…." Akari said in a creepy possessed voice.

The two stared at her in terror for a moment before she returned to her normal self and snatched Chase's face in both of her hands.

"It's time for your mission! Now make me proud!" She exclaimed with a quick kiss on his forehead before leaping to her feet and pointing at the dust cloud spiritedly. "Now go! _GO_!"

Chase stumbled to his feet awkwardly, looking over his shoulder at her with a bewildered expression, then hid behind a bush.

Luna stared wide-eyed at the other girl who was brushing away fake tears. "What's with you…?" She breathed.

"I'm a good actress, huh?" Akari said with an animated wink.

"I wouldn't say that…" Luna mumbled under her breath.

"Oh! This is so exciting!!!!" Akari exclaimed, picking up Luke's bandana and running up the hill to be the finish line, with Luna right behind her. "Here they come! Here they come!!"

Luke was in front, hurtling up the hill with sweat dripping down his red face and into his golden eyes. Gill close behind, his face stolid, his breathing regular, not even breaking a sweat.

"Wow, Luke is in the lead!" Luna exclaimed, with genuine excitement on her face.

"Not for long." Akari said confidently.

As if on cue, Gill suddenly became twice as fast as he had been running the entire race. His legs seemed to grow and bound over the ground as effortlessly as breathing. Luke's eyes widened as he was left in the dust, using all his strength to close the increasing distance between him and the cyborg.

"Wow! What is he!?" Luna squeaked.

"Inhuman." Akari stated matter-of-factly.

It was down to the wire. Gill slowing down slightly to give Luke some false hope before he decided to fly the rest of the distance on wings that would spring from his back.

It was then that Chase leapt out of his hiding place.

He landed on the ground, directly in front of Luke's path, and suddenly Luke was on the ground too, his face planted firmly in the dirt.

Luke spat out his mouthful of sand and opened his eyes in time to see Akari drop the bandana as Gill jogged past her. She and Luna were jumping up and down trying to congratulate the boy who was brushing the dirt off his sweater vest nonchalantly. Luke kicked the ground as hard as he could and was surprised to find that the ground groaned and twisted underneath him.

"CHASE!!!!!" he bellowed, catching sight of the peach colored hair. He sprung to his feet and kicked the tall boy in the gut then ran before Chase had the chance to get up and pummel him.

And pummel him he did.

Luke was running toward the group with a silent scream of "HELP!" just as Chase leapt onto his back and brought him crashing back into the earth again.

The others watched, mildly amused, while Luke scrambled to get out from under Chase for the second time that day. Chase just sat, smiled, and waved.

"Dare completed!" He called to Luna who was grinning wickedly.

"Cheater! Cheater! CHEATER!" Luke screamed into the dirt. Chase leaned back until no audible ranting was heard from his victim. Luke still twisted violently until he had lost all his strength and decided to play dead. Chase got off him then, actually worrying that he had killed the boy, and helped Luke to his feet. Of course Luke had the audacity to swing one last punch at Chase's jaw, which he dodged and used his off balance to string him into a choke hold.

"Gyah! Let go Chase!" he screamed.

Luna giggled at the look on Luke's face. "Looks like you've been beaten twice!" she taunted.

Luke bared his teeth at her.

"Come on everybody, calm down, lets finish the game." Akari said, playing the part of mediator.

Chase released him and sat next to Akari on the hillside, then Luna, then Gill, then Luke who was rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's my turn." Luna announced. "Lu--"

"Wait! Who said _you_ could play!?" Luke exclaimed.

Luna eyed him. "Well, for your information, Akari said I could."

Luke frowned. "But who said we would _want_ you to play!?"

Akari gave Gill a look and a nod. Gill read the look, nodded in return, then properly smacked Luke in the back of his head.

"What was that for!?" Luke complained, grabbing the sore spot.

"Your stupidity." Gill answered numbly.

Akari nodded in thanks. Gill nodded back.

"Anyways…" Luna began. "Luke, truth or dare."

"Truth." he spat.

She stared at him for a minute then asked. "Why is there a heart on your nose?"

"WHAT!? YOU WERE LYING TO ME!?!?! IT'S STILL THERE!!!?"

Four heads nodded.

---

Elli ran home the second Gill and the others had left Town Hall. She closed the door behind her and leaned up against it.

What should she do first?

Pop some popcorn…?

Make herself a smoothie…?

Naw!

She plopped down on the couch and turned the television on, switching to the "All Soaps All The Time" channel. She grinned to herself.

_Nothing gets better than this…._

An idea suddenly struck her.

She dashed for her "I couldn't help but love you" stash and snatched season six off the shelf. Opening it up and letting it's contents spill over her bed, she plucked disk nine from its resting place and put it in her DVD player.

"Episode, 217!" she exclaimed, selecting it from all the others and waiting impatiently for it to start playing before she pressed the fast forward button repeatedly.

Then there he was!

"Daniel!!!"

It was amazing the resemblance between him and Gill. The same blond hair and blue eyes. The same blank stare, and haughty voice.

On the screen, Daniel was staring into a book. A girl popped up behind him suddenly, she had long brown hair and hazel eyes.

Elli gasped. "Bridget!!!!"

Bridget leaned forward, looking over Daniel's shoulder at what he was reading, Daniel pointedly ignoring her.

"That's familiar…." Elli commented with a tilt of her head.

Bridget then snatched the book out of his hands and waved it over her head teasingly. "Come on, Danny! Stop reading this dumb book and come hang out with me!"

"No." was all Danny said.

"Oh please, please, PLEASE!" She begged. "I'll die of boredom if you don't!"

Elli gasped and paused the screen. She had seen that before! She quickly pushed play again.

"I don't care, Bridget. Go bother somebody else."

"But you're the only fun person to be around, Danny! If you don't come play I'll be forced to go have lunch with Vanessa. Ick!"

Danny smiled slightly. "That's a fate worse than death."

She nodded exaggeratedly. "Yes, yes, so please come!"

He sighed as if he really didn't want to when really is was obvious he did.

"Alright. On one condition."

"What!?" she squeaked, trying to hold in her excitement.

"Don't call me Danny."

"Than what do I call you?"

"Daniel."

She thought about it for a second, clearly not liking the idea.

"I don't think so. Danny just fits you better."

He sighed again, this time as if he were annoyed.

"Fine, whatever. Lets just hurry and get this over with."

He stood and she strung her arm through his.

Elli gasped.

The began to walk toward the door of the room, the camera suddenly zooming into the back of Daniel's head as he glanced over at Bridget with a strange expression on his face.

Was it kindness, no….

Friendliness, no…

Not even love…it was adoration.

Elli pressed pause again and focused on that face.

_That's what Gill is missing…_She thought, _Gill doesn't know love…_

---

**And so ends part 4.**

**On a high note I hope.**

**I like beginning and ending with Elli. I can't help but make fun of her. (In a loving sort of way)**

**I have realized that I have put more emotion in this chappie than just plain silliness….I wasn't planning on doing that but it just happened. I really hope it didn't drain any of this chapter's light hearted mood.**

**Anyways….please review!!!!**

**And any advice on what to truth or dare is also a great help too!**


	5. Ju Ju Baby

**OH JOY! PART 5!**

**I threw in another request truth or dare….actually two….so if you guys have any ideas on more PLEASE TELL ME! I'm getting rusty on my own…**

**I love any and all reviews! (you really have no idea how much I love them!) So please review. **

**(I don't own these characters. If I did, Chase and Gill would be serenading me! Haha!)**

Truth or Dare

Ju-Ju Baby

Elli was watching Gill out of the corner of her eyes. He was flipping through a book, like normal, and had a glass of tomato juice that he had been nursing all day.

It was a warm summer afternoon. The kind that made you just itch to go outside.

Elli was itching…really bad.

She tried to turn her attention back to her work but the words and numbers on the page all blurred together and she soon found herself staring openly at her co-worker.

His electric blue eyes shot up at her.

"Is there a problem Miss Elli?" He said with a slight ring in his voice.

"U-Uh no!" She said, turning back to her book. "I-it's a….it's a beautiful day isn't it?"

She caught him glancing over to the window with almost a longing look in his eye.

"Yes…." she heard him mumble.

Both rapidly turned their heads toward the door as it bust open, but were shocked to see that there was nobody there….not even Akari…

"Strange…did the wind blow it open?" Elli mused.

"It's not windy today." Came the voice of Gill behind his book again. "Don't worry about it. It's not like it's a ghost or anything."

"A G-Ghost!?" Elli swallowed. "Of course it's couldn't be a g-ghost…ghosts aren't real…" She shrunk slightly in her chair.

Gill took a tiny sip of his tomato juice and mumbled something inaudible, while Elli began to bite her nails nervously and flash her eyes around the room for the slightest sign of something out of the ordinary.

The clock ticked, Gill turned a page, Elli bit her lower lip.

He ran his fingers through his hair.

She yawned.

He pulled a piece of lint off his sweater-vest.

She tucked her hair behind her ears.

He scratched the back of his left leg with his right foot.

She drummed her fingers on the table.

He reached for his juice.

She screamed.

He jumped and glared at her while the tomato juice spilled down his front.

"Elli! What in the world is wrong--"

She was pointing to a dark shadowy figure in the corner that seemed to blend into the wall itself, as she squeaked out, "G-Ghost!"

Gill instantly leapt to his feet and snatched a yardstick, waving all forty eight inches above his head threateningly he stomped toward the figure seconds before it disappeared.

"Huh?" he glanced over his shoulder at Elli, "Where did it go?"

She shrugged. Her eyes darting around fearfully.

He walked back over to his desk and set down the yardstick. He had been sure he had seen something…both he and Elli couldn't have imagined it…well…Elli could have, but not him…

He curled his fingers under his sweater-vest and pulled it up over his head, causing his hair to flick out haphazardly. He then untied the ribbon from his collar and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt.

Elli stared.

Gill sat back in his chair and looked sadly at the remains of his delicious tomato juice. If only it could magically refill itself…

He opened his book again.

She flipped through some pages in a folder.

He scratched the tip of his nose.

She glanced at him.

He tried to smooth his messy hair.

She sneezed.

He reached for his glass of tomato juice.

She screamed.

He cussed as the juice slid down his shirt.

"What the---Elli! What is it!?"

She pointed to another corner of the room where the shadow figure sat.

"Gyah!" Gill exclaimed as he snatched the yardstick again and swung it wildly toward the creature. It flew from it's hiding spot and past Gill to disappear once again in shadows. "Where did it go!?" he yelled at Elli, who was closing her eyes.

"I-I don't know…maybe we should leave…"

"No!" he exclaimed determinedly. "We will catch this thing!"

She sighed worriedly but nodded.

He walked back to his desk and stripped his shirt off. His pale creamy skin gleamed in the sunlight as he frowned at his shirt.

"What I'm I going to do with you…?" He asked it.

Elli jaw dropped in awe.

He sighed and sat back down at his desk.

She stared.

He tried again to fix his messy hair. (It didn't work)

She stared.

He opened his book again.

She stared.

He pursed his lips together.

She stared.

He wrapped his arms around his chest protectively.

She stared.

He reached for his now empty glass of juice.

Then he screamed.

"A-Akari!!!!" he bellowed as he leapt to his feet.

"Sir. Gilly McWillikins!" she exclaimed, climbing out from under his desk. "Sheesh…do you strip for Elli everyday!? No wonder she loves her job!"

He teetered back in shock. "Where did you come from!?"

She pointed to the desk. "Under there silly!"

"No-no how did you get under there!"

She suddenly took on the persona of magician.

"That's for me to know and you to find--I mean…to never know." she said with a grin.

"Y-You were the g-ghost!?" Elli squeaked from the other side of the room, still staring at Gill.

"Was I scary!?" she asked hopefully. "I never would have thought Gilly would come after me with a weapon, much less a yardstick, so I had to keep changing hiding places!"

"W-wait what are you--" Gill began.

"Gadzooks!" Akari exclaimed, examining Gill up and down. "Who would have guess you had a six pack!?" Her arm shot out involuntarily and poked his stomach. He leapt back with a yelp of surprise.

"Y-you're hands are cold…" He explained to her shocked face.

"Silly Gilly!" She cooed as she skipped toward him and ruffled his already messy hair.

Elli gasped and blinked back the rosy hues of soap opera-ness.

He pushed her back and tried to smooth his hair again.

"Ready to go play!?" She asked, stringing her arm through his.

"No!" he spat as he tried to shake her grip off. "Look at me! I don't have a shirt to wear, thanks to you!"

"Now what did I do!?" she asked innocently.

"You scared Elli, which startled me, which made me spill my delicious tomato juice on my shirt!"

"Such round about logic…" Akari mentioned with a sigh. "Oh well, I'm sure I could loan you a shirt." she added sweetly.

"Um…I'll pass…"

"If your sure…"

"Yeah…I'm sure."

"If you don't mind being shirtless…"

"I don't want one of your shirts, you idiot!"

"Great! Lets go!" she grabbed his arm again and escorted him out of the building, all the while he was dragging his feet and yelling, "Wait! Wait! I don't want to go shirtless!"

"But you look better that way!" she insisted.

---

Akari waited outside Gill's house, kicking her foot listlessly against the door. He had yelled at her numerous times to stop it, but she didn't because she had spaced out.

He swung the door open, narrowly missing her head, and made his arm available for her to latch onto.

She didn't.

"Uh….Gilly…?"

"Yeah…?" he said, looking at her for the first time. Her eyes were locked on his chest, he looked down and found nothing amiss. "What?"

"Do you own another sweater-vest….?"

"Yes, why?"

"Then why does this look like your other one….? The one you spilled juice on…and the one you wore yesterday and the day before…?"

He gave her an irritated look. "I have five of them."

"Oh….why?"

"Because I do!" he said suddenly becoming hostile.

She, of course, was oblivious to this and twiddled her thumbs as she stared at the vest.

"Do ya think….uh…"

"What!"

"Do you think I could…um….kind of…wear one…?"

He stared at her as if she had a horn growing out her forehead. "Are you serious…?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed clasping her hands together, her eyes suddenly bright. "I really, really do!!"

"Why!?" he spewed in disbelief.

"Because I've never worn one before and I really, _really_ want to!"

"No. This is stupid, lets go."

"Oh please, Gilly!" She grabbed his arm as he tried to walk away. "You will be fulfilling one of my lifelong dreams!!"

"Your lifelong dream is to wear a sweater-vest…?" He raised an eyebrow.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! And to finger paint with tomato sauce, and to catch fireflies in big glass jars, and to--"

"Okay! Okay! But just this once!" he gave in to make her shut up.

"YAY!" She squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck in a quick hug. "You are the BEST!! Okay go get me one! Go, Go!"

He rolled his eyes as he went back into his house.

---

When they made it up the hill to the Special Spot, they found that the others were already there.

Luke was in the tree throwing pieces of bark at Chase, who was below him shielding his head with his arms. Luna was sitting next to him with an irritated expression on her face. And Julius was next to her, sprawled on the grass…wait a second…why was Julius there….?

Julius was the only one who saw them coming, and the second he caught sight of Akari he burst out laughing.

"What are you wearing!?" he exclaimed through fits of laughter.

Akari skipped forward merrily, displaying her argyle sweater-vest proudly. "You like it!? Gill and I are twinners!!"

The others glanced up now, all trying to hide their laughter.

"BWAHAHAHAH!" Juli bellowed, gripping his sides. "T-Twinners, eh? You look just as ridiculous as he does everyday!"

Gill's eyes narrowed, Akari ran up and swatted him on the head softly like a bad puppy. Then feeling instant remorse she cuddled his head and stroked his long purple hair.

"Be nice! Ju-Ju Baby!" she cooed.

Gill gagged. "Ju-Ju Baby!?"

Julius flashed a grin at him from around her arms.

"That's right!" Akari exclaimed, releasing his head. "Doesn't it suit him just perfectly!?"

"I could think of a few better names for him…" Gill muttered under his breath.

"So I heard you guys come here everyday to play Truth or Dare, right?" Juli asked Akari.

"Yes! How did you find out!? She asked.

"I followed Luna here." he said with an evil sideways glance at the sulking petite girl.

"Oh! Do you want to play too!?" Akari exclaimed.

"No!" Yelled Luna suddenly.

"Yeah!" Luke said from up in the tree. "Don't you think we have enough players?"

"The more the merrier!" Akari said insistently.

"No!" Luna yelled again. "He CANT play!"

Akari cocked her head to the side. "Well, why not?"

Luna's eyes shifted over to the frivolous boy next to her. There were a million reasons she could come up with that would be why he shouldn't play, but of course the first one that came to her mind was…. "He won't play nice!"

"Oh, nonsense!" Akari exclaimed, then turned to Juli, "Do you promise you will play nice, Ju-Ju Baby!?"

He nodded exaggeratedly with an oh-so-sweetly-innocent look on his face.

"There you see! Ju-Ju promises to be a good boy." She cuddled his head again, petting his hair, then plopped down into her regular seat.

This was the signal for them to do the same. Luke slid down out of the tree and sat between her and Chase. Gill was next to him with Luna on his other side. Julius between her and Akari, much to Luna's displeasure…

"You can go first, Ju-Ju Baby, because you are new." she said.

His red eyes narrowed mischievously as he sized up each of them in turn.

"Gill, truth or dare?"

Gill seemed to direct a loathing aura at Juli viciously. "Truth."

Julius rubbed his chin in thought, but of course knew exactly what he was going to ask.

"Does your father…"

Intensity build up.

"…pick out your clothes!?"

Luna and Akari gasped.

Chase and Luke bust out laughing.

Gill's aura darkened.

"What do you mean by that….?" Gill growled.

"Exactly what I said. Does your father, the mayor, pick out and make you wear the clothes you are wearing now…? Or is it just your bad sense of style?"

Gill suddenly …just shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess you could say it was both."

"Huh?" Julius said, sheer disappointment all over his face.

"Well, you see, when I was little my father _did_ pick out my clothes. I'm sure you can say your parents did the same. Now I'm just too preoccupied by other things that I don't care, and so I suppose you could say I have no sense of style. So I wear basically the same sort of thing I have all my life."

"Those pants too…?" Julius asked tauntingly.

"What about my pants?"

"They are quite…short….did you get them when you were twelve?"

Gill looked down at the gap between his pants and his socks.

"They are shorts…"

"They are mighty long to be considered shorts, and plaid too!?"

"Okay…I think you have overstepped your truth question." Akari finally cut in. "That was more than one."

Julius did a fake pout.

"Okay, Gilly, your turn!" she sang.

He nodded. "Luke, truth or dare?"

Luke sat up straighter. "Em…truth…?"

"Are you really as stupid as you look?"

Luke thought for a moment, tipped his head to the side, scratched his head, rubbed the eyelash out of his eye, brushed the hair out of his face, bit his thumbnail, rolled his eyes up to the sky, pursed his lip, then finally opened his mouth with an answer.

"Never mind." Gill mumbled. "You answered my question…."

Luke was confused but shrugged and turned to Luna.

"Truth or dare?" he asked, straightening his gloves.

"Dare."

He scrunched up his face trying to think of something terrible to make her do.

"I dare you to….hug Juli!"

Her jaw fell open and a silent scream was evident on her face.

Juli just grinned.

"Chicken!" she begged.

"Nope! I revoke all chicken-ness!"

"No! Please!"

"Sheesh…" Juli mumbled. "It's like she was being asked to hug the Black Plague…"

"Nope! Hug him! Hug him!" Luke cheered with Akari joining in.

Gill and Chase both rolled their eyes.

Luna leaned toward Juli with her eyes closed and her arms outstretched. He reached out to her in return and hugged her longer and tighter than she would have liked, and when she tried to pull away he only held tighter. There was an evil grin on his face. He enjoyed annoying her a little too much.

"Okay! That's enough!" She exclaimed shoving him away with all her strength.

He laughed.

"Alright" she said with a little shiver, "Luke, I'm going to ask you truth or dare now."

He shrugged and stupidly said, "Dare."

Luna's smile became malicious.

"I dare you to… KISS CHASE!"

"NO!" Luke and Chase yelled simultaneously, jumping to their feet.

"Chicken please!" Luke begged.

"Yes, yes, my chicken too. All of my chickens!" Chase said desperately.

"Nope, no chickens." she said wickedly.

"I'll give up my chickens too, just not to see that…" Gill mumbled.

"Nope, you HAVE to do it!" she demanded, crossing her arms.

Akari sat wide eyed with her hands in her lap, Juli was laughing hysterically.

"But it's gross!" Luke complained.

"You think _you_ kissing _me _would be gross, just imagine _me_ having to kiss _you_!?" Chase said, making a gagging sound and sticking out his tongue.

"Yeah…." Luke said with equal disgust, then, "Hey!"

"I'm sorry to involve you Chase, but this must be done." Said Luna.

"Ew…" they both said at the same time.

"B-But I've never kissed anyone before…" Luke whispered with large puppy eyes. "I don't want the first time to be with a…a guy…"

"Oh…poor Lukie…" Akari cooed.

"Alright I'm going to count to three and then you need to kiss each other." Luna announced.

"But wait! I'll do anything! Just please take back the dare!" Luke pleaded.

"ONE!"

"NO! I-I'll give you--what do you want!? I'll give you anything!"

"TWO!"

"Oh man….oh man…Chase…uh, what are you doing…?"

Chase was slowly inching closer until they stood face to face. He bent down slightly, closing the difference between their two heights. His hands gripped him by the shoulder. Luke's heart suddenly started beating rapidly…with pure terror…

"Chase! NO! NO!" He screamed just as Luna said…

"THREE!!"

They all gasped.

Chase's head dipped down, one hand holding Luke's face, the other pulling him closer. It was brief, their kiss, just long to be considered a kiss. Then Chase stepped back casually, running his fingers through his hair.

Luke's face was a strange mix of shock and something else….joy? Weird…

Luna had a smug expression, while Gill opened his eyes (he had closed them when he heard 'three') and stared at them. Juli had a silly smile on his face and Akari's jaw still dangled open.

"Well that was…cute…I guess…" Akari mumbled.

Juli suddenly was laughing feverishly again.

"_FAKE_ _KISS_!" He sang.

"What!?" Luna bellowed. "You faked it!?"

Chase shrugged and kissed the back of his hand passionately.

"You never said it couldn't be a stage kiss."

She gave a mighty frown.

"Oh, you will get over it Luna!" he said swatting the air with a hand. "Plus, it still means Luke has never been kissed!" he winked exaggeratedly at her.

Her frown deepened.

"Well…that was intense…" Akari commented to Juli.

Juli started laughing _again_.

"My word! What is so funny!?" She exclaimed.

"I can't look at you or Gill without laughing! You both look like idiots!"

**Thus ends part 5...**

**I threw the kiss thing in there and was quite afraid on how it would turn out…decent I hope…**

**Please review! **


	6. Can Dee

**Part 6**

**I hope it is…well…you will see…this sure changes things…**

**Please let me know what you think.**

**Those of you who requested truths or dares keep your eyes open because I used quite a few! Hint, hint…(that means give me more, please.)**

**(I don't own these characters.)**

**Truth or Dare**

**Can-Dee**

Elli walked into Town Hall wearing a large purple hat.

And when I say large, I mean colossal, I mean you couldn't walk within a five foot radius of it without running the risk of loosing an eye.

Such outrageous head wear was against the Town Hall dress code. Elli knew this well and wore the hat solely for that purpose.

This was a test.

She plopped down into her seat and tried to brush the massive floppy hat away from her face. Flipping nonchalantly through some papers, she waited….

"Good morning, Elli." Gill sighed, his eyes in a book.

"Good morning, Gill! How has your day been!?" She asked chipperly.

"Busy." Was his curt reply.

She waited.

He said nothing. He didn't even look up.

She turned her head right and left, trying to draw his attention to her wiggling hat.

Gill was oblivious.

She turned back to her papers and side glanced at him. He was staring out the window again, head propped up with his hand, sunlight shimmering in his hair.

Blinking back the fantasy that was blurring her vision, Elli straightened her hat and pretended to work, but couldn't help but worry about her cute little co-worker. What was wrong? For the past few days he had seemed really out of it…acting strangle…not himself. The window became the thing he stared at more than a book, and instead of rushing around and rifling through papers he just sat there. Never had he acted this way…maybe he was sick….?

Just when Elli was about to remove her hat in defeat she heard the gasp she had been waiting for.

"E-Elli?" Gill stuttered.

"Yes Gill?" she asked, turning to him expectantly, causing the hat to jiggle.

"What's on your head…?"

"Oh! My hat!? You like it!?" she said, making an effort to emphasize the sheer enormity of the hat beast.

Now, the correct answer to that question was : "Yes Elli. Your hat is lovely and suits you really well. But unfortunately it is against the dress code, so please remove it while at work." That is what Daniel would say.

But in all actuality, Gill is not Daniel.

"It's horrible!" Gill spat. "It looks like a giant squid is eating your head! Take it off! I can't even pretend to work, its so distracting."

Test Part 1: Failed.

_Gosh_! She thought. _Gill has more social issues than I feared!_

She took off her hat.

"What the--!!! What happened to your hair!?" Gill exclaimed.

Elli touched her aquamarine head gingerly. "I thought I'd try a new look… what do you think?"

Everyone knows that girls are sensitive about their hair, if Gill was going to survive in this world he would have to learn how to compliment a girls hairdo even if it was the most disgusting thing on the planet.

Thus, the correct answer to this was : "Your hair is really different. It matches your personality well." Simple. What could be easier than that.

Apparently, Gill liked making things difficult for himself.

"Put your hat back on."

That said it all.

Test Part 2 : Failed.

Elli sighed, shaking her head. _If only boys in real life could be like the ones in soap operas….they always say the right thing._

For the third and final part of her test, Elli was putting herself out on a limb. She would have to tell Gill something really personal. Something really fake. Lets face it, she got her lines from "I couldn't help but love you."

"E-em….Gill…?" She mumbled, tucking her blue hair behind her ears.

"What?"

"I-I…um….I need to tell you something."

"What, Elli?" he seemed annoyed.

"I have a friend who has a crush on this…certain person…"

"Yes…?"

"She…um…well, this guy she likes doesn't even seem to know she exists."

Silence.

"He is cold to her….and yet, she cant help but like him."

More silence.

"What do you think she should do?"

Now most people are aware that if you say, "I have a 'friend' who…blah, blah, blah," normally means that it is in fact _you_ who is in this situation.

So the correct response to this question would be something to the effect of : "Tell him how you feel." or "You should ask him on a date." Something like that…

Gill didn't get that memo.

"Your friend must be an idiot."

Test Part 3 : Failed.

Elli sighed heavily. _Gill is never going to win a girl. He is too….blunt…_

"What!? No strip tease today!?" Called a muffled voice.

Gill leapt to his feet, searching under his desk and in all the corners of the room for the owner, the only possible owner, Akari.

Elli saw her head briefly through the window. A second later she was crawling through it, somersaulting into the room with a loud bang as her back met the floor.

"Oooh….." She groaned, curling into the fetal position. "Gilly…why aren't you shirtless…?"

Gill stared down at her, a strange look in his eye, a weird, almost pained smile on his face.

"Akari…why,…why are you still wearing my sweater-vest!?"

She blinked up at him innocently. "What do you mean…?"

"I took it back yesterday! Did you break into my house again!?"

"Maybe…" She said with a shrug, then curling her legs underneath her, she looked up at Gill like an excited puppy.

"That's illegal." He hissed, then said, "No," to the question he knew she was going to ask. "You can't keep it."

"Oh please!!!" she begged, large brown eyes sparkling.

"No."

"Hmm…" she mused, tipping her head to the side. "Tell you what, I'll give you back your little sweater-vest and admit to breaking and entering…_if_…you go shirtless for a day!!"

"Keep it."

"Yay!" She did a victory dance in a circle around him. His hand shot out and latched onto her skull, turning her head to face him.

"Why are you here this early?" he asked, bending down so that they were eye to eye, only an inch separating their noses.

"Too close!" Elli gasped silently.

"I'm here to help you work, Gilly! I'll be your personal assistant! And we even match!!!" Akari chirped, squirming under his grip.

"You really want to help?" he asked, releasing her head.

"YES!!!"

"Then leave." he turned and busied himself with a stack of loose papers on a shelf.

She slunk forward and leached onto his leg, causing him to nearly trip over her.

"But, Gilly! We match!"

"That's not a real big motivator…"

"I need money! I haven't made any money in like… a week!"

"You're a farmer, right? Go plant something."

"I'll be your _slave_!"

His eyebrows raised. "I suppose we could find some use for you…"

"YAY!!!!" She cheered, jumping up and hugging him tightly around the middle.

"Crap…" Me muttered. "What have I gotten myself into…?"

Elli watched enthusiastically. A little _too_ enthusiastically.

_Yay! Bonding time! _she thought happily.

For the first few hours of Akari's life as a slave, she was banished to the back room to sort through numberless files on unnecessary information. "Alphabetize them." had been her only instruction. So there she was, crossed legged on the floor, papers strewn around her, minding her own business, and even doing what she was supposed to; when suddenly Gill burst in and said, "Enough of that! You have a new assignment!"

"But why, Gilly? I'm doing such a good job…" she looked up at him with big eyes. "Just let me finish."

"No, no, no!" He insisted, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her from the room. "I couldn't possibly stand to hear you sing the, 'ABC's' one more time!"

Her next assignment was to dust. Simple, right? So she danced around the room singing a song from Mary Poppins, dust rag in one hand, a can of dust-be-gone in the other, twirling the rag in between books on the book shelf and all the little baubles on display. Elli enjoyed watching her, it was as if she brought the sunshine into the room.

"Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down!" she sang merrily, brushing a stubborn dust particle off an expensive vase. "In the most delightful--"

"Akari don't break that." Gill mumbled, scanning a filing cabinet.

"--way!" **CRASH**!"…….oops……"

"Akari! Did you just--!?"

"I'll clean it up…" she ran for a broom and dust pan.

"Forget it!" he exclaimed, catching her by the shoulders. "You would cut yourself."

Elli smiled. _Maybe there is hope for him after all_…

Akari blinked up into his blue eyes, he frowned then said, "Besides, you would probably miss some pieces and then I'd end up cutting my feet! You fail as a slave!"

Elli sighed. _Maybe not…_

"I-I fail…?" she whimpered, lower lip trembling, big brown eyes swelling with tears."

He sighed and looked away. "Okay, one more try."

An instant grin appeared miraculously on her face.

So then Gill sent her on a meaningless mission that would simply get her away from Town Hall. He had nearly shoved her out the door, telling her to take a package to the carpentry shop and to hurry back because she had a whole load of errands to run.

But, leave it to Akari to get lost in the town she had been living in for over a year.

"Crud…" She said aloud, shuffling past the inn for the fifth time. "I swear that blasted building is around here somewhere…"

Chase saw her through the window of the inn and popped his head out then called to her.

"Hey Akari! What's up!?"

She whipped around to the sound of her name, searching for whoever had called her. He waved to get her attention.

"Over here!" he yelled.

"Oh! Chasy-Roo!" she exclaimed, running up to the window. "Have you made any delicious cakes today!?"

He smiled and disappeared momentarily, only to reappear a second later with a slice of cheese cake in hand.

"Oooodaladie!" She squealed, taking the offering and forking a huge mouthful down her throat.

"You eat like a pig!" he teased.

She snorted. "I can sound like one too!"

He laughed and leaned farther out the window.

"So I see you are still wearing 'Fashions by Gill'."

She nodded. "I stole it!"

His eyes widened.

"And guess what!?" she whispered excitedly as if this was the greatest secret in the world. "I'm Gilly's slave!"

He raised an eyebrow. "So how's that going…?"

She sighed heavily. "Not so good….he says that if I don't do well on this assignment he will punish me."

Chase's jaw dropped.

"Well, I better hurry!" she said happily, handing him the empty plate. "See ya Chasy! Thanks for the cake!!"

Chase scratched his head as he watched her leave, he was going to have to have a talk with Gill later...

Nearly an hour after her brief visit with Chase and wandering around Waffle town aimlessly; Akari was walking past the Special Spot and spotted Luke leaning up against the tree.

"Lukie!!" She yelled to him, waving frantically. He waved back just as frantically and then motioned for her to come and sit by him.

"Is it just the two of us playing today?" he asked her as she sat down next to him.

"Oh! Is it time to play Truth or Dare already!?" She exclaimed, glancing at her wrist where a watch would have been, but wasn't.

He nodded. "Yeah, where is Sir Gilly?"

Just then Luna and Candace walked up the hill.

"Lu-Lu! Can-Dee!!" Akari sang, leaping to her feet and embracing both of the girls.

Once Luna hand been released from the crushing hug she gasped out, "I hope its okay that I brought Candace. She had been wanting to know where I have been disappearing to for the past few days."

"Of course Can-Dee can play!" Akari cried, as she released Luna's quiet older sister from a similar hug. "We are just waiting for the others before we begin."

The two girls sat down next to each other as Chase's peach head appeared over the hillside, followed by Julius.

"Hey!" Juli said with a smile and a wave.

Candace stiffened involuntarily next to her sister, and seemed to mentally shrink into the grass.

Chase sat down next to Akari, giving an evil glare to Gill who had just materialized out of nowhere.

"Oh there's Gilly!" Akari cheered. "Now we can start!"

"Where have you been Akari!?" Gill suddenly bellowed.

She stared up at him innocently. "I haven't a clue what you are talking about."

"I sent you on a simple errand and you never came back!"

"Oh pish-posh, Gilly. Errand, shmarrand, lets play!"

"That doesn't make any sense!" he spat.

"Sure it does! It does, right Luke!?"

Luke nodded. "Of course."

Gill rolled his eyes, but gave in, plopping down onto the grass next to Juli.

"Alright. Can-Dee can go first." Akari said, smiling widely to the blue haired girl.

"R-Really…" Candace whispered. "I-I don't know who to ask."

"Anyone!" said Akari.

"Um….well, then….Gill, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I-I dare you to…." she blushed, then said softly, "I dare you to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time."

Nobody said anything.

Gill patted his head and tried to rub his belly simultaneously. Honestly, he looked like a fool.

Luke snickered.

"SHHHH!" Akari and Chase said at the same time.

Gill dropped his arms and stared at the grass. Why did this dare feel so humiliating….?

"Go Gilly, your turn." Akari said.

"Akari, truth or dare."

"Truth!"

He glanced at the brown paper wrapped box next to her.

"Why didn't you deliver the package?"

"Hee-hee….funny story actually--"

"Summarize it."

"Okay…I got lost…"

He nodded. Of course she did.

"Does this mean I will get punished…?" she asked hesitantly.

"We will talk about that later." he mumbled.

Chase's eyes shot fire at Gill, who raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Okay…Now, Chasy! Truth or dare!?"

"Dare."

She did an evil laugh.

"Tomorrow you have to come to the game dressed as a French maid!!"

"You're kidding me!?" he complained. "That's the last time I give you cake!"

"Wait! I take it back!!!"

"No, do it Chase!" Luna suddenly piped in. "I bet you would look cute as a girl!"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Why does it matter if he makes a cute girl?" Gill mumbled.

Luna rolled her eyes at him. "It makes all the difference in the world!"

"Whatever…"

"Okay, Chase! Your turn!" said Akari.

"Alright…Luna, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"How old are you…really?"

"That is privileged information. Thus, I will use a chicken."

"Are you kidding me!?" Chase complained again.

"Sheesh, Luna. You sound like one of those crazy old women in their eighties high off Botox." Luke said, rubbing his eye.

She shot an "I'm going to get you," look at him causing him to shrink back in fear.

"Yeah and it's not like you're that old, right!? Come on just tell us!" Chase insisted.

"Oh fine! I'm…(bleep)."

"No way!" exclaimed Chase. "You don't look older than six!"

"Well, thank you!" she said, fluffing a pigtail.

"That wasn't really a compliment…."

"Alright, Lu-Lu, your turn!" Akari piped in.

Luna looked around the circle slowly, her eyes landing on Gill.

"Truth or dare?" she said to him.

"Truth." he mumbled.

"Alright! Do you have a secret crush!?"

"Oh! I know this one, I know this one!" Akari sang, bouncing on her heels. "It's 'NO!'" She yelled the 'NO!' in a perfect imitation of his voice.

Gill's fingers were tangled in the grass and he looked as if he was going to throw up.

Luna shook her head, eyes on the blond boy. "You do like someone… don't you…?"

His blue eyes flicked up to hers.

"Chicken." he muttered.

Luna nodded, giving up rather quickly. He looked away from her eyes, suddenly feeling that she could read into him. Akari's confident smiling face faltered for a moment, but for just a moment.

"Gilly…" Akari breathed. "It's your turn!"

He nodded and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Candace, truth or dare?"

She gasped then whispered, "Truth."

Gill decided to be nice to the shy girl. "What's your favorite color?"

Luke hissed something about the stupidest question ever, and was ignored.

"Blue…" She said softly.

Everyone but Luke nodded intently.

"Your turn again, Can-Dee!" Akari sang.

"Um…Akari…truth or dare?"

"Dare!"

"Oh…?" she said sadly, she didn't like thinking up dares…or truths, for that matter. "I dare you to…count to two hundred."

"Okay…one, two, three, four, five, six…"

Needless to say, two hundred second of their life faded away like molasses.

Candace evidently, wasn't the greatest at coming up with questions….

Akari turned to Juli for her turn.

"Truth or dare?" she asked happily.

"Truth." said the boy who was twirling a strand of his hair.

"Oh my!" She exclaimed. "We haven't asked you the vital truth question have we!?"

Juli shrugged.

"Oh-oh no! Well! Ju-Ju, do you have a secret crush!?"

Juli stopped twirling his hair and his eyes drifted somewhere to Luke's right.

"Yeah…I do…" he mused in almost a whisper.

For some reason Candace's face turned a silly red color, but nobody seemed to notice, much to her relief.

"Oh how sweet!" Akari cooed at the same time Luke mumbled something to the effect of Juli's crush's gender.

Juli's eyes narrowed.

"Truth or dare!?" he spat at Luke.

Luke felt his hostility, but stupidly, said, "Dare."

Juli sneered, his red eyes making him look quite terrifying. "I dare you to figure out the square root of 625 in three minutes--"

"No problem!" the bandana clad boy jeered cockily.

"--and Gill can't help you!"

Luke's face fell.

"Chicken?"

"Nope!"

His face fell even further.

"And to spice things up, if you can't do it within that time limit Chase has to _really _kiss Akari! Yes that's right! No stage kiss!"

Everyone gasped.

Akari stared. "What's with all the kissing dares…?"

Chase wailed. "Why am I always the puppet!?!?"

Juli shrugged. "Apparently everyone hates you."

"What?"

"Never mind. So there you have it. You have three minutes, starting….NOW!"

Luke sprang to his feet and started running toward the forest.

"Wait! What are you doing!?" Chase yelled after him. "Are you going to get a calculator!?"

"Why would I do something stupid like that!?" Luke yelled over his shoulder. "I'm going to find a square root!"

Chase slapped himself in the head, then attacked Juli. "What are you doing!? Telling that idiot to solve a math problem is the most evil dare there is! And then using me and Akari as some sort of toy!? You must be the devil himself!" He shook Juli like a rag doll.

Juli just laughed. "You can thank me later."

A slew of curses tumbled from Chase's mouth as Akari tried to release his grip on the boy's throat.

"Now, now…it's not something worth killing over…" she mumbled, her eyes wide. "Wait…is he breathing!?"

---

"I'm sorry Akari." Chase said, once Juli had been brought back to life thanks to Gill's quick thinking and the use of a large tree branch in a twisted version of CPR.

"For what?" she asked quietly. They were sitting side by side now. Candace was hovering over Juli who was complaining of a strange pain in his chest. (I wonder why?) Luna was sitting up against the tree with an annoyed expression while she picked at her fingernails. And Gill was on the other side of Akari, frowning. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

"I'm sorry that that idiot is going to make me kiss you."

"Um…okay?"

"I mean, its not like I don't want to kiss you! Wait! I don't mean that, I mean--"

"I know what you mean."

"Yeah…" he sighed and ran his fingers through his wild hair. "And I can't even do the stage kiss thing…"

She thought for a moment.

"Is there any possibility that Lukie will figure out the answer?"

"No." Chase and Gill said at the same time.

"Oh…" She sighed. "You know…this will be my first kiss."

Chase's face flushed, Gill frowned even more.

"That's it Akari! I can't go through with this!" Chase exclaimed. "I couldn't possibly take your first kiss, that would just be…cruel!"

"Yeah." Gill agreed. "You could just not play the game. It's not like you are being forced to be here."

"NO!" Akari said passionately. "I love the game too much to give up now! It's okay Chase! I'll give you my first kiss!"

Gill frowned again as Chase's face turned a bright cherry color. "N-No Akari, you can't do that, it's not right."

"Oh come on!" she said. "It's not like a little kiss is that big of a deal."

Gill and Chase sighed. What were they going to do with this girl….?

Just then Luke ran back with a square root.

Yes, a square root indeed. (Mind you, he had bent it into that shape.)

He held it up to Juli's nose proudly and yelled, "I found one!"

Everyone seemed to feel as if a piano had just fallen on their heads, his stupidity hurt them physically.

"Now there's just that little problem about the 625..." he touched his cheek thoughtfully.

"You lost!" Juli croaked from the ground. "And your even late!"

Luke's face seemed to collapse in on itself as he turned to Akari and Chase. "I'm sorry guys…I tried my hardest…"

Akari couldn't help but jump to her feet and hug him sweetly. "I know Lukie, it's okay." she said softly in his ear.

"Well then." She said as she turned to the others. "This kiss…I believe it due." She swiveled before Chase and knelt down in front of him. Juli pulled himself into a sitting position. Luna and Candace both felt they should look away but couldn't. Gill's body tensed up. Luke stared in confusion. She wasn't really going to go through with it, was she? Smiling awkwardly, she reached out and held his face in her hands, his cheeks turning a fierce red at her touch. She seemed to move in slow motion as she pulled his lips closer. The distance between them seemed to melt away. He held his breath, his heart beating fast. Just before their lips touched, she hesitated. Her cheeks suddenly turning red, her hands suddenly starting to shake, suddenly she seemed to realize what a kiss was. She had always seen people do it and she knew it was a way of expressing love. But never had she applied it to anything. Now she applied it to the loud thumping in her chest. She blinked into Chase's violet eyes as if she had forgotten what she was doing.

But he remembered.

He closed the short distance quickly. But only had their lips brushed for less than a second when she was pulled away.

Gill had her by the wrist and was just as shocked as everyone else at what he had done.

"Gilly…?" she asked quietly, blinking up at him.

He tried to swallow but found his mouth was dry. What was he doing, what was he thinking…he had no clue.

"I-I don't think I want you kissing my slave…" he finally muttered.

They all just stared at him and he stared back.

"Let's go." he said, tugging on Akari's wrist and pulling her down the hill. She looked over her shoulder at Chase, who seemed to be frozen in time.

As they disappeared over the hillside the tension remained. Thick like fog but as dangerous as electricity.

"That was really….weird…" Luke finally said, breaking the silence.

The others shifted around uncomfortably, and suddenly Chase leapt to his feet and seemed to fly down the hill in the direction that Gill and Akari had gone.

The remaining four just stared after him.

"What have you done, Juli?" Luna whispered.

He sighed and slid his hand over his long purple hair.

"Looks to me that I have started something…"

**Wow…intense, at least it was intense writing it….**

**I give all wonderful ideas of truths and dares to their rightful owners who requested them. Especially Random Jelly Beans, (who came up with the whole square root kiss thingy) I was seriously like "how the heck could I use that!?" and yet it turned out remarkably….well, I hope. I think I've already said that I didn't want this to be a serious story, and yet, it has become one. I mean, it still is filled with the original silliness, but now everything seems to have a meaning. It's like a monster I have created. I love it, but I no longer control it. It controls me. That's so cliché…but true. **

**Wow I really need to know what you guys think…please review.**


	7. Pati

**Part 7!!**

**I don't have much to say….other than please review!!**

**(I don't own these characters)**

**Truth or Dare**

**Pati**

Gill was acting…strange…that much Elli knew for sure. He wasn't even pretending to work today. He just sat at his desk, staring straight ahead at nothing. The room was so silent…too silent. Elli was afraid to breath, afraid that she would make some sort of sound that would break him out of his trance.

Gill sighed heavily.

_That's sigh number forty three…"_ Elli thought, glancing at him worriedly. _The poor dear….what's wrong?_

He grabbed the book in front of him, flipped through the pages, then set it back on the desk with another sigh.

That was it! Elli had had enough! She shoved her chair back and got to her feet, stomping toward the door, she jumped when Gill said her name.

"Elli…where are you going?" He asked, eyebrows raised.

"E-Em….out."

"Oh…" he mumbled, eyes shifting toward the window.

She just stood there. Was he really going to let her leave that easily!?

Apparently.

She left, tucking her blue hair behind her ears and went in search of Pat.

---

She and Pat had become friends recently when they found out they both were avid fans of "I couldn't help but love you." Now, Elli wasn't alone in her late night marathons, and the two of them met every so often to discuss Elli's various theories, especially those on Gill. She found the young inventor having lunch at the inn, parts of what looked to be a broken clock were scattered on the table in front of her. One hand curled under her chin, the other tapping a spoon against her red glasses that were balanced on the tip of her nose.

"Pat!" Elli said unhappily, taking a seat next to her. "He's worse today!"

Pat peered at her over the rim of her glasses. "Gill?" she asked.

"Yes… he just keeps sighing…"

"Hmm…." Pat mused, touching her lip thoughtfully. "I wonder what it could be…"

Just then Chase shuffled into the room.

"What will it be?" he asked Elli dully.

"Oh, whatever Pat had." she said glancing up at him momentarily, and then second glanced. His face was just as lifeless as…Gill's….

"Alright..." he sighed and shuffled back to the kitchen.

"Do you see what I see!?" Elli whispered to Pat, pointing at Chase's stooped form.

"No…what?" Pat said cluelessly.

"He sighed!" Elli exclaimed.

"I don't get it…"

"Just like Gill!!"

"Oh…." She blinked at her. "I still don't get it…."

Elli tugged at a lock of her hair. "I think Chase has what Gill has. Something is wrong with both of them…but what…"

"Oh…" Pat glanced over her shoulder for the cook before leaning over the table and whispering to Elli. "I hope it's not contagious…"

Elli sighed.

"You caught it too!?" Pat exclaimed, jumping back.

"No, no…I didn't." Elli reassured. "But lets think…what could have caused these two boys to act so strangely? And nearly the same symptoms too. Sighing, blank expressions; more than normal in Gill's case, not talking much…"

Pat shrugged her shoulders. "How should I know."

"Well, think with me!" Elli exclaimed. As much as she loved her new soap opera buddy, Pat seemed to be a little distant sometimes when it came to people. Elli decided to try another method.

"If this was 'I couldn't help but love you,' and Gill was Daniel and Chase was Edmund--"

"Oh, I love Edmund!!" Pat suddenly gushed.

"I know! Me too!!" Elli squealed in return, then regaining her composure she said, "What would make those characters act so morose at the same time?"

Pat thought for a moment.

"I suppose….a girl." She mumbled.

"Interesting…" Elli said, tapping her chin. "The same girl, perhaps."

"No, no, no!" Pat exclaimed passionately. "Daniel is in love with Bridget, and Edmund loves Samantha!"

"No, I'm talking about Gill and Chase now."

"What does Gill and Chase have to do with anything!?" Pat exclaimed, dumfounded.

Elli sighed. "We were talking hypothetical!"

"Oh…I suppose they could like the same girl."

"Hmm…so something is up between Gill, Chase and some girl…" Her eyes suddenly lit up and her hand flew to her cheeks. "Oh! A love triangle!?" She squealed.

Pat nodded. "But who is the girl who stole their hearts?"

"Well, it has to be someone close to both of them…someone who can charm a sarcastic cook and thaw the heart of an iceman."

"Oh, wow! That was so poetic!" Pat exclaimed admiringly.

"Thank you!" Elli bat the air with her hand and blushed.

"But who could it possibly be?" Pat wondered, eyes scanning the ceiling as Chase shuffled in and placed a bowl of soup in front of Elli.

"Enjoy." He muttered halfheartedly, then shuffled back to the kitchen.

Elli watched his slow retreating gait, pity filling in her heart.

"We must find out who it is and then…I don't know…should we help them?"

Pat shrugged, "We won't fully understand the situation unless we have a reconnaissance man. Someone who is with them when Gill and Chase are together. That way they can easily spot who the third person in the triangle."

"Oh! I know just the thing!" Elli exclaimed, slapping her hands together. "They go play Truth or Dare everyday with a bunch of friends. That has to be where all the juicy things happen!"

(Oh dear Elli,…you have no idea…)

"But who would be our spy?" Pat asked.

Elli thought for a moment. She didn't know all of the people who played, only Chase and Luke for sure…Chase very well couldn't spy on himself and Luke….well, lets face it…Luke would be figured out in mere seconds. It had to be either Pat or herself. But because she was a little older than the others she feared they might act differently around her. So that left…

"Pat!" Elli shouted. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to gather information regarding the fascinating love triangle, via becoming a member of the Truth or Dare game!!!"

Pat stared at her blankly. "Say what?"

"You will join the Truth or Dare club and research the love triangle between Gill, Chase, and…some girl!!"

"Really?"

"Yes! How often does one present itself in real life!? Hardly ever! We can't pass up this opportunity!"

"Well…I guess…"

---

Akari had lost her sheets sometime in the middle of the night. Now they were dangling from the light fixture and swaying slightly from the breeze that filtered in through the open window. Her eyes slowly opened, only to be closed again, then reopened, then closed. Continuing this process for a few minutes, eventually her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight. She squirmed into a sitting position, stretching her arms and back, running her fingers through her hair and causing it to stand straight up. Yawning and more stretching followed, until she heard the two brisk knocks at her door.

"What? Someone at the door this early?" She glanced at the clock. "It's the afternoon!? I'm late!!" she gasped, flinging herself toward her dresser and tugging on clothes that only kind of matched. There was more knocking while she tried to calm her wild hair.

"Oh yeah! The door!" She had completely forgotten that someone was there.

Pat was standing on her doorstep with an awkward expression on her face.

"Pati!" Akari cheered. "What brings you here!?"

Pat shuffled her feet uncomfortably and mumbled, "I've heard that you play Truth or Dare everyday around this time…and well, I--"

"You want to play!? That's great!" The brunette cried.

Pat nodded. That was easier than she had expected.

"Well, lets see…" Akari glanced at her wrist where a watch would have been but wasn't. "I'm running really late…so do you mind coming with me to go get Gilly?"

"Oh, of course not." Pat smiled.

"Great! Lets go!" She started walking off down the road, Pat close behind, toward Town Hall. As they walked, Pat reviewed the goals of her mission. A: To find out who the third side of the triangle was. B: To figure out what has happened so far. And C: To find out who the side of the triangle was, either Gill or Chase, that had unrequited love. One side always had unrequited love, that's what made love triangles interesting.

When they arrived at of Town Hall, Akari kept walking and Pat followed, confused at where she was going. They turned and walked around the building, stopping here and there momentarily, where Akari would step back thoughtfully and examine a window or some notches in the bricks. Then they would continue around the building until they were back to the front. Pat would start for the door and then realize that Akari was circling the building again and would have to hurry and catch up with her, while the brunette searched with a determined frown on her lips.

"What are we doing?" Pat asked, after their third lap. "Are you the building inspector or something…?"

"No, no, silly." Akari laughed, checking to see if her boot could fit in a gap in the bricks. "We are searching for a point of entry."

Pat furrowed her brow. "How about the door?" She mumbled.

"Pfft! Doors are no fun! That's where people _expect_ you to enter! Why not enter through a place you aren't expected to enter!?" She exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "And who said you had to enter through doors anyway!?"

Pat blinked. "Well, its just…what they are there for…ya know…"

"Yes, but doors can be locked." Akari pointed out. "It's difficult to get through a locked door."

"But that's the point…"

"Oh never mind Pati. Here!" She exclaimed, stopping suddenly. "Do you think you could hoist me up into that tree!?"

Pat inspected said tree. "I suppose…" she mumbled. "But what are you going to do in the tree?"

"Well, first I'll pull you up." she said, miming the action. "And then we will climb to the top branches and jump onto the roof. There has to be an attic or something with a secret door up there."

"So you _are_ going to use a door."

She tipped her head to the side. "I guess….do you think people come through that door often?" she asked.

Pat just stared at her, waiting for her to laugh or…something. But she didn't. She was dead serious.

"No, I really doubt that." Pat muttered.

"Oh good!" Akari clapped cheerfully and then said, "Okay! Hoist me up!"

Pat bent her knees and hung her arms low, fingers interlocked. Akari put one foot in her cupped hands and steadied herself with the trunk of the tree.

"Okay, one, two, three!" Pat pushed with all her might as Akari reached to get a hold of the lowest branch and scrambled her way up it. Then, after securing her legs around the branch, she reached down and helped Pat up. They were now sitting on the branch facing each other, huffing and puffing.

"Alright." Akari said. "Going up?"

Pat nodded.

They made their way up the tree branch by branch, careful whenever one snapped threateningly, and whether or not it was strong enough to hold their weight. Akari was on the highest branch closest to the roof inching her way to the edge. Pat climbed up behind her and waited until she was safely crouching on the roof before she made her way over and joined her.

"Ta-Da!" Akari sang, as Pat's foot touched the shingles.

Pat gave her a weak smile and then followed her as she pulled herself across the tiles. It was a tricky process…as soon as their foot felt secure on a shingle they would suddenly feel as if they were about to lose their balance and wobble precariously.

Eventually they made it to the very top where everything was relatively flat. Akrari scanned the area for some sort of door as Pat took a rest on a funny box-like thing.

"Wait! What are you sitting on!?" Akrai shouted, making Pat jump right off of it. "Ah-ha! It's a door thingy!" She ran over and pulled the top off, revealing a ladder that sank into the blackness.

Akari and Pat exchanged looks.

Akari's was 'YAY!'

Pat's was 'Are you kidding me?'

Akari went first, going down the ladder backwards. When she reached the bottom she whispered up to Pat that the coast was clear. Pat sighed and descended.

It was dark, wherever they were, and it smelled like old shoes. Akari was searching the floor for another trap door, when her hand got tangled in something sticky.

"W-What is this…?" she whispered fearfully. "It's a sticky thing…that's…that's light and feathery."

"It's probably just a spider web." Pat mumbled then grimaced, sliding her hands across, what felt like, mouse poop.

"Oh…" Akari sighed with relief and then gasped as she felt something crawling up her leg. "Wha-what's that on me!? It's heavier than a spider….at least, I would hope a spider wasn't this heavy…"

"Probably just a mouse. It certainly smells like them up here."

"Oh…" Akari sighed again, and shook the mouse off her leg. It squeaked its anger at suddenly being launched across the room. She then swallowed hard when her hand slid around a cool object that had the weight of metal. "I think I found it!" She whispered happily, just as something wailed at the other side of the attic.

"What was that!?" She cried, finding Pat's arm in the darkness and gripping it fearfully.

"I-I don't know!" Pat replied, gripping Akari just as hard.

They heard it again. A long high pitched wail that made their blood curdle. Then a flapping sound, and more wailing. They pulled closer to one another, trying to shrink away. Suddenly the whole attic seemed to come alive as the flapping and wailing seemed to be everywhere at once. Through the dim shafts of light they could see black figures darting around. Then they were in their hair and all around their bodies. Flapping and wailing.

That's when they screamed, a terrible murderous scream.

---

Three flights below the party in the attic, Gill and Elli were doing the exact same thing they had been doing all day.

Nothing.

Elli was staring at the clock, wondering when Akari would show up and drag Gill away, and Gill was actually trying to pretend he was reading a book. She would have bought it too, if she hadn't noticed he never turned the page.

They heard the strange bumps in the attic, but figured it to be the mice or a cat chasing after the mice. Then they heard the scream.

It was so loud and piercing that Elli screamed along with it, while Gill, knowing where it had come from, was running up the stairs and pulling the secret door in the ceiling open. He was up the ladder and in the little attic quicker than you could say 'Kalamazo,' with his arms spread out he scooped up Akari and calmly told the frightened Pat to follow. Akari's arms were still wrapped tightly around his neck long after the secret door was closed and Elli was at her side trying to find out what was going on.

"Bats." was all Gill said in explanation.

"But why were you up there!?" Elli tried to urge from Pat, who sat wide eyed.

"A point of entry…" was all she said.

Akari hid her head in Gill's shoulder, her eyes still closed, her body stiff. He tried to set her down but she refused to unhook her arms from around his neck. Meanwhile Pat finally snapped back.

"Bats?" she asked Gill.

"Bats." he said again.

"Oh…" she touched Akari's shoulder and whispered softly. "Bats…It was just bats."

"Oh…" Akari sighed, then looked up. "Gilly…?" Her eyes widened at the signs of worry on his face. "Gilly? Why aren't you shirtless?"

---

Arm in arm, Akari and Gill walked up the hill to the Special Spot with Pat close behind.

"Hey Akari!!" Luke waved from under the tree.

"You're always the first one Lukie!" She marveled, as she skipped over and sat next to him, making sure to save a spot for Pat on her left. Gill sat across from her as usual, his face read 'Don't mess with me, Luke,' and his hands almost automatically went to their ritual routine of tearing up blades of grass. A short while later Juli arrived, and sat down with a quick grin to Akari and dagger to Luke. Candace and Luna followed close behind and sat next to each other. Then finally Chase, the one they had all been waiting for, appeared on the horizon. The first thing they saw was one of those little frilly headbands with the white lace and the black velvet bow. Then the dark ruffled bodice that laced up like a corset in the back and exploded in frilly fabric at the skirt. A small, white, heart shaped apron was tied around his waist, where his normal apron usually was, with the big bow knotted at his lower back. His face was the color of a cranberry, his knobby knees screamed of over exposure as he tried to pull the skirt down to cover them, and his violet eyes were a mix of embarrassment and hate.

There was one thought that trickled through Pat's head,

_What have I gotten myself into…?_

"Oh! Chasy!! You look adorable!!!!" Akari gushed, and couldn't help but run to him and wrap her arms around his skinny shoulders. His face reddened even more, and then seemed to glow like a stop light when they all started laughing at him.

Juli was dying, he was tearing up at the sight of Chase and was laughing so heard he couldn't breath. Luke was also hysterical, with his constant pointing and laughing. Needless to say, Chase made himself a reminder to beat him to a pulp later that day. Candace and Luna were raving about his feminine beauty while Gill hid his face in his hands. Whether he was crying or laughing, nobody knows. Pat's face was a sight to behold. It was a strange combination of shock and pure pleasure, as if this was a fantasy she had longed to live for some time.

"Shut up!" Chase finally bellowed, after they all had had a good laugh. "Let's play the game now, shall we!?" He plopped on the ground, spreading his legs apart.

"Don't flash us!" Luna shrieked, shielding her eyes.

"It's okay, Luna, he is wearing gym shorts underneath." Akari said with a smile.

Chase rolled his eyes and hoisted the skirt up to his waist, exposing the red shorts underneath, before dropping the skirt again and straightening it.

There was a few more snickering and then silence as they all waited for Akari to speak.

"Everyone, Pat has joined us most recently, so she should go first." Akari proclaimed.

"Oh…okay…" Pat mumbled, feeling the heat as all eyes turned to her. "Um…" _Remember what you are here for!_ her inner Elli sang. "Alright." she finally said. "Chase, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

_Hmmm…what should it be? Something that would help indicate who he likes, but nothing too obvious. _

"I dare you to hug everyone in the circle."

Instantly Luke jumped up and ran a good thirty feet away.

"I've had enough Chase lovin to last me a lifetime! I'll pass!" he called back to them.

"Good! I'd rather die than hug you anyway!" Chase hollered back as he fixed the ribbon that fell into his eyes.

Pat raised an eyebrow to the others in confusion and Juli helped clarify. "There was a dare where they had to kiss."

Her jaw dropped.

"Oh, don't worry! They actually didn't kiss…it was fake, but it did look…intimate…" he teased, with a silly look at Chase.

"Okay…?" Pat mumbled.

"Alright! Whose first!?" Chase asked, getting to his feet and stretching his shoulders. "Gill! How bout you!?" he walked toward the blond boy, arms outstretched.

"No." Gill warded him off.

"Oh, come on Gill! Don't deny your feelings!" Chase spewed, as he latched his arms around him. Gill's face transformed to that of intense pain, his teeth bared, his knuckles clenched. Then Chase released him and went on to the next.

"Luna…you have dreamed about this, haven't you?" he asked her.

"You in a French maid outfit? Yes."

He rolled his eyes and hugged her quickly.

"Candace…" He said, glancing down at the girl whose cheeks were turning redder by the second. He wrapped his arms around her gently, so as not to break her, and then went on to the next. Because Luke had run away, it was Akari. His face had turned scarlet before he even looked at her grinning face and outstretched arms. He didn't know what to do, suddenly his body wouldn't move when he told it to. So she ran up and hugged him instead, causing butterflies to dance in his stomach.

"Oh Chase!" Juli exclaimed, as he suddenly ran up after Akari and caught him in a bone crushing hug.

"Can't…. breath…" Chase gasped.

Once he had been set on his feet again, Chase stood in front of Pat with his arms open. She didn't get it.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Hug?" he asked back.

"Me?"

"No, the gorilla behind you, of course you!" And with that he wrapped her in his arms. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and yet she was loving it.

"Alrighty!" Akari declared, once everything had calmed down and Luke was once again sitting next to her. "Chasy it's your turn."

"Candace, truth or dare?" said Chase.

"Truth." she whispered.

"Now don't take this the wrong way," he clarified, "but because this is your first truth, the normal first question is if you have a secret crush. So…do you?"

Her eyes flew around the group and settled on the grass. "Yes….yes I do…" she breathed.

Juli straightened up a little for some reason, a small smile on his lips.

"Oh, okay….cool… Yeah, so your turn now." Chase added, while fiddling with the lace on his skirt.

"Um…Luke…truth or dare?" Candace said.

" Dare!"

"Oh….well… I dare you to sing 'Mary had a little lamb' while a….rock is in your mouth."

"Oh! Good one!" Akari exclaimed.

"But rocks are dirty…" Luke whined.

"Your mouth has seen worse." Chase commented. "Don't think I've never seen you do that one thing!"

"No! You've seen that!?"

"Yes! And I'll tell everyone!" Chase threatened.

"No! No! No!"

"Sing then!"

"Okay…" he put a rock in his mouth. "Muahwe haff ha wittwe wamb, wittwe wamb, wittwe wamb, Muahwe haff ha wittwe wamb woos wheesss wasss whi wasss wooooooo!"

"Beautiful." Chase said with an exaggerated eye roll. Candace was grinning.

"My turn!" Luke cheered, after spitting the rock on the ground near Luna whose face shriveled in disgust. "Ah…Akari! Truth or dare!?"

"Dare!!" she sang with just as much enthusiasm as Luke.

"Ha! I've got a good one!!" Luke exclaimed with a snap of his fingers and an animated wink.

"Goodie!" Akari clapped.

"Alright! I dare you to prank call Dr. Jin at the clinic!!"

"Oh really?" she tipped her head to the side.

"Is that not a good dare?" Luke leaned forward worriedly.

"No, it's a great dare…it's just….I prank called him just yesterday."

Gill rolled his eyes.

"But I'll do it again!" she added cheerfully. "Does anyone have a cell phone?"

"I do!" Luna said, handing her the device.

"Alright…" Akari mumbled, pressing the number keys and then holding the phone up to her ear and motioning for the others to be silent. "Is this the clinic?" she asked, then waited as someone on the other side was talking. "I need to speak with Dr. Jin. It's an emergency. Oh…okay…" she smiled to the others, then her face transformed immediately into a mischievous smirk. "Doctor! I don't suppose that you're--….um…no….I don't even know who that is…" Her face fell. "Anyways, I was wondering if--…yeah,…yeah,…yeah, I won't call again…bye." She pressed the off button and looked at the others. "He knew it was me…"

"Oh…." Luke said, disappointed. "Well, it's your turn now."

"Okay!" she rubbed her hands together greedily as her eyes locked on Gill. "Truth or dare, Gilly!?"

"Dare." he muttered.

"Cha! I dare you to take your shirt off for the rest of the game!"

There was much gasping and snickering.

"No." he said curtly.

"Oh, you have to!! I revoke any and all chickens!" she grinned. "Do it!"

His blue eyes clouded over and he seemed to be frothing with displeasure, but he untied the little red ribbon from around his neck and set it aside before pulling the sweater-vest over his head. His hair was disheveled cutely, flicking up in all directions, and his cheeks had a faint blush upon them.

Pat's eyes widened, were these strange actions a normal occurrence here!?

Gill sighed as he unbuttoned his shirt to the background of Juli's catcalls. Luna and Candace were sitting forward eagerly, while Chase and Luke tried to shield their eyes. Finally, he unveiled his beautiful chiseled chest, and was marveled at by all the girls.

"Gill…you're ripped!" Luna exclaimed with a gasp. "Do you work out!?"

"No…" was the dull reply.

"Oh, you must! How the heck did you get so muscular then!?"

He didn't say anything, but his cheeks reddened a little bit.

"There's a gym in that basement of yours, right!?" Akari exclaimed, suddenly by his side.

"N-No!" he yelped, reeling back. "W-Why would you think that!?"

Akari's eyes narrowed. "I know when you're lying Gilly…."

Gill frowned, and then gasped as she poked his abs.

"Like solid rock." she said with a nod to Pat, whose eyes were wide with amazement.

"Whatever!" Luke jeered, suddenly stripping off his shirts and exposing his tanned muscled arms. "That's nothing compared to this!" And with that he flexed his bicep.

There was much ooing and awing.

"No way, Luke! You're ripped too!?" Akari gasped.

"Of course I am! I am a carpenter after all!" he made a show of twisting his arms and flexing. Luna clapping enthusiastically.

Akari suddenly turned to Juli expectantly.

"You're next, Ju-Ju Baby!!" she sang.

He laughed as he slid his jacket off his shoulders and then unbuttoned his frilly top. His long torso was tanned and had lean muscle like a swimmer. Candace blushed fiercely.

"Oh…you're pretty Ju-Ju!" Akari cheered as he struck a model pose, and then she turned to Chase.

"No!" Chase begged as a blush flitted across his cheeks. "Don't you think that you have put me through enough!?" he exclaimed pointing to the frilly maid skirt.

"No…" she giggled, coming up behind him and unlacing the corset backing. He was blushing crazily now that her fingers were brushing against his bare back, his breathing stopped and his palms sweated. Gill's face turned sour.

"There you go!" Akari said, once the frilly outfit was loosened.

Chase sighed, but pulled the entire dress over his head and sat among them in nothing but his gym shorts.

It was silent for a second as everyone took in the sight. Then Juli whistled.

"Ooh-da-la-di!" Luna sang, in her high pitch voice. "That cookin' has paid off!"

"What do you mean?" Chase frowned as he looked down at himself. He didn't have a six pack like Gill, or crazy large biceps like Luke, and not even the attractive lean muscle like Juli. He didn't even think he _had_ any muscle.

"Well!" Akrai sighed, plopping down next to him and wrapping her hands around his upper arm., causing him to tense up. "Look at this muscle here." she slid her finger up his arm, he shivered. "It's probably the one you use to flip pancakes or something." He had no idea what she was talking about, all he knew was that she was very close to him. And he liked that.

"Feel my arm!" Luke said haughtily. "I bet it feels cooler than his arm!!"

And with that the spell was broken as she skipped over to marvel at his arm, then gave an attack-like hug to Gill, causing them both to tumble onto the grassy hillside.

While she was insisting that everyone come over and feel Gill's abs, Pat was lost in thought.

She was surrounded on all sides by half naked young men; and the only thought that swam through her mind was…

_I can't wait to tell Elli!_

---

After the game was finished, and everyone but Chase, Gill, Akari, and Pat had left the hillside, Chase grabbed Akari's arm and pulled her off to the side.

"A-Akari…I was wondering if…" He began a little uncertainly.

"Yes?" she asked coaxingly. "What is it?"

"Well…" he began again. "Do you think that you would want to go on a…..on a date with me?"

She stared at him blankly for a moment. Gill froze, suddenly feeling queasy as his stomach twisted into all kinds of knots.

"Yeah! That's a great idea!" she exclaimed. Gill's shoulders drooped noticeably.

Chase's face lit up. "R-Really!? You want to?"

"Of course I do!" she grinned. "And Gill and Pat could double with us!"

The light fell from his face, and the other two looked back at her in shock.

"That's not really what I…wanted" Chase said under his breath.

"It will be even more fun this way!" Akrai said excitedly.

"Yeah! I'm sure it will!" Chase said with false enthusiasm. Nobody was convinced…except Akari.

---

"How did it go!?" Elli asked Pat the second she had sat down at the little kitchen table in Elli's house. "Have you discovered who the third side of the triangle is!?"

Pat sighed heavily and pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "Yes…"

"Who!" Elli exclaimed, so excited she thought she might burst.

"It's Akari."

Elli's eyes widened. "Why hadn't I seen this before…? Of course it is Akari, who else could it have been!?" She smacked herself in the head. "She is the only girl who has ever come near Gill!"

Pat nodded, then mumbled. "I have a date with him tomorrow night."

Elli nearly fell out of her chair.

"You what!?"

"A double date…me and him…Chase and Akari…."

"Oh?" Elli rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "You can gather more information that way…But tell me! Tell me! What happened!?"

"Well, besides the strange kissing dare between Chase and Luke--"

"What!?!?!?"

"They didn't really kiss…it was fake…but I was told it looked…intimate. Anyway…I didn't see anything too out of the ordinary." That was a big fat lie. "Well…other than Chase coming to the game in a French maid outfit, he makes a cute girl, and all the boys taking their shirts off and comparing muscles, yes, even Gill; nothing really happened."

Elli's face was utter shock. She didn't even know where to begin her questions, but before she had the chance to open her mouth, Pat continued.

"But I did corner Luna after the game and got some information…"

"Oh?"

"Apparently yesterday there was another kissing dare…this time between Chase and Akari if Luke couldn't find the square root of 625..."

Elli's eyes widened. "He didn't find it did he…?"

"Nope. He actually went looking for a _square root._" Pat said.

"A-And the kiss?" Elli asked fearfully.

"Well…that's where things get strange…You see, I guess they were about to kiss, touching lips even, and Gill pulled Akari away."

Elli gasped. "He did!?"

Pat nodded.

"The only reason I can come up with as to why things weren't awkward today, is that Akari isn't aware of Chase's feelings…everyone else is though. Even Gill. He seems to not like the thought of them together, but I cant decide if it's a brotherly thing…or something more…"

"Wow….nice job." Elli marveled. "So then…you haven't figured out who has unrequited love?"

"Not yet." She said with a shake of her head, then she sighed. "It's sad…even though Akari is so happy all the time, she is completely oblivious of others actions toward her."

Elli thought about that, this was going to be harder than she thought.

"So what are we going to do?" Pat asked.

"Well, I think you should continue playing the game, and go on that date of course. But other than that I don't know. I can't decide if we should help one of them…."

"But wouldn't that be unfair for whoever we didn't side with…plus you already are going to side with Gill aren't you?" Pat accused.

Elli's face turned pink with guilt. "Yeah…but he _needs _a love interest! This could be the only one that ever comes…._EVER!_"

Pat rolled her eyes. "That may be true… but maybe we shouldn't interfere…. Ya know, just let things happen on their own…"

"Are you kidding me!?" Elli exclaimed. "How many times have you seen a love triangle that ends up horrible!? All the time! Like in the case of Travis, Jenna, and James; Travis did not deserve Jenna! James did!!"

"Oh yes, I love James…poor guy ended up alone… The only reason he didn't get Jenna is because he didn't tell her how he felt! I know she loved him!"

"See! We can't let that happen here!"

"But…I like Chase more than Gill…You should have seen the sweet look in his eyes. He truly adores her." Pat confessed.

"And I like Gill more than Chase…The only time I see him smile is when he is with her." Elli added.

"Are we going to take sides?"

"I don't know…"

---

**End of part 7!**

**I give all wonderful ideas to those who offered them to me!! Please keep it coming!**

**And remember to review!!**


	8. To Bi Do By

**Part 8! (wow….it's getting long…)**

**I thank all those who have given me ideas! (I adore you to no end) **

**Please review!!**

**Ode to Blubber Nuggets: Do you have any idea how much I freakin' LOVE you!!!!? …lots and lots. I loved reading your UBER long review so much, and dude! Your idea of Elli's show getting canceled and her creating her own soap opera was amazingly awesome! I'm totally going to use it, maybe even create a spin off of Truth or Dare with this as the idea. I'm so honored that you think I could pull it off! Now lets hope I can! So… basically that story will be an ode to you and all of your amazing ideas! So stay tuned!! And yeah! I FREAKIN' LOVE YOU!**

**Dear ffnetgoddess: Thanks for the review! I think it would be fine if you started your own Truth or Dare story, as long as you had original ideas of course. **

**Dear other reviewers : I love you all. And please keep giving me ideas….cause…I need them. LOVELOVELOVE!**

**Truth or Dare**

**To-Bi-Do-By**

"Gill?" Elli dared, after the long stretch of silence in the room was threatening to drive her crazy, and the weird, almost inaudible, moaning sound escaping Gill's half parted lips, convinced her that he needed help. "Is there something wrong?" and then she winced, preparing herself for the impending verbal stab.

But she didn't get shot, much to her surprise.

He sighed heavily and glanced up at her from the book he hadn't been reading. "Nothing…" he mumbled.

"Oh, Gill…I know something is wrong, you haven't been yourself at all lately.… You can tell me what's bothering you,… maybe I can even help."

He seemed to consider this for a moment, his face thoughtful as the conflict was wrestling inside his head. He could tell her…but he never told anyone anything! Why start now!? He liked to keep his problems bottled up where he could keep an eye on them. He never before had considered telling someone how he felt. But maybe,…just maybe, Elli could say something that _would_ help…something that would thin some of that confusing cloud that seemed to be settled around him recently. He pursed his lips together, then said, "Well, tonight there is this--"

"Oh, the date!?" She exclaimed.

His eyebrows raised. "Yeah…how did you know about that…?"

"Pat told me!"

He blinked vacantly.

"That was very nice of you to ask her on a date!" she added.

"Don't think I'm nice, It was Akari who told us we were going to double with her and…Chase…" When he said '_Chase' _his face turned sour for a split second, as if he had bitten into a lemon, then, after regaining composure he said, "I don't want to go--"

"Oh!? You _have_ to go!! Think how disappointed Pat would be!" She exclaimed, then thought, _Well, Pat probably wouldn't be disappointed at all…she probably would be relived… _He didn't look convinced. She took a different angle.

Elli looked down to her fingers and picked at her nails listlessly, feigning disinterest. "Well, I guess if you don't go… Chase will be all alone with Akari…"

His whole body shuddered while his mouth twisted into a confused frown as to why he had reacted to that thought that way. She analyzed him with a tilt of her head, silently taking his convulsion as a 'Yes, I'm going.'.

"Well that's good…wait, you aren't going in _that_ are you?" She asked.

He glanced down at his sweater-vest, a confused crease on his brow. "Sure. Why not?"

"You have worn that same outfit for…EVERYDAY! If you are going on a date you have to look nice!"

His eyes widened slightly as he stared at her.

"Elli…what are you implying…?"

_That I don't look nice? _That phrase seemed to hover in the air like a dead fish.

Her face burned suddenly. "Oh, I mean something,…something different! Different than what you normally wear." He had to be charming, this wasn't just a date! Gill's happiness was on the line! And if he was a good date for Pat, then maybe Akari would see what a great guy he was and fall madly in love with him!! (That last bit was a little farfetched…but she can go ahead and dream, right?)

Pursing her lips together determinedly, she stood and stared down at Gill, then said, "You are going to make a good impression on Pat (And Akari) tonight on this date! Come with me and we will go find you a new outfit that will show everyone just how… uh…terrific you are!"

He rolled his eyes. "I believe that going shopping for a new outfit would be a little superfluous." he said, like a drippy rain cloud.

"Oh please!" she begged, daydreaming of a shiny new adorable Gill.

"It's not going to happen." he said matter-of-factly.

Her eyes narrowed and she scrutinized him carefully, "I'm sure Chase will be dressed nice…" she mused, tipping her head thoughtfully.

The whole left side of Gill's face twitched. "Fine. Let's go." he spat.

"Wonderful! Let's go!" she chimed.

He stood and shuffled to the door behind her.

"Wait!" she exclaimed. "You do know how to behave on dates, right!?"

"Well," he mumbled vacantly, "I've never been on a date before..."

"Oh Gill! Your first date! HOW CUTE!!!!" Elli gushed, her hands fluttered up to her face as the light blush flitted across her cheeks. Her mind snapped to her vision of how the date was going to play out...

The four of them seated under a tree for a moonlight picnic. The two girls wearing beautiful gowns that glimmered silver in the moon beams. The boys wearing black tuxes that seemed to blend in with the grass and the shadows.

Akari was giggling about something Gill said, tucking her short brown hair behind her ears. Her cheeks turned crimson every time his hand would brush against hers as they sat side by side. Chase would try to get her attention by offering her a piece of cake or some other treat, but Gill was all he saw.

He looked ethereal. His white blond hair glimmered with silver specks as it fluttered in the breeze. His eyes were as dark and mysterious as the night. His pale skin glowed with a creamy shine that made even the moon envious.

At the end of the date, instead of Chase walking her home, she strung her arm through Gill's, like always, and let him lead her down the familiar paths. They walked in silence, she was only aware of the way her skin prickled where he touched her and he was watching the blush on her cheeks with a small smile on his face. When they finally came to her door she hesitated a moment before starting toward it.

"Wait!" She heard him whisper behind her. She turned and saw him wringing his hands desperately. "A-Akari… I-I…"

"What is it Gilly?" she asked softly, coming to stand in front of him. "You can tell me."

His face turned pink but he met her eyes with an intensity that she hadn't expected. She blushed in turn and stepped back slightly. Suddenly his fingers were entwined in her hair, his breath hot on her cheek. Her heart was trembling like a bird in her chest, her arms limp at her side. His lips brushed hers gently once, twice, and then locked against them. Her eyes fluttered, then closed, as his kiss deepened and his other hand wound around her waist.

Before she knew what she was doing, her hands were gripping his face to hers, her lips pushing against his now in an euphoric sort of way. His eyes snapped open the second he realized she was kissing him back, there was a hint of a smile on his lips before he kissed her again.

Eventually he pried their lips apart, needing that valuable oxygen, and whispered into her hair. "I love you Akari"

"Elli…? Elli!"

"EPISODE 27, SEASON 5!!!!" Elli bellowed.

"What!?"

Elli blinked away the pleasant image to see the grumpy face of Gill an inch away from hers.

"Elli! You spaced out again! If we must go, then lets hurry and get this over with!"

"Oh that's right!" she tipped her head to the side. How in the world was she going to get this bleak young man to become the prince of Akari's dreams!? (And hers) "You said you don't have any date experience right?"

"Right." he grumbled.

"Oh no…that means we will have to start from scratch! We will have to review basic table manners, the sort of questions you should ask, the subjects you should stay away from, the dos and don'ts of door opening, when you should complement and when you should keep you mouth shut-- "

"I would like to think that I'm not _that _socially inept!" he spat bitterly.

"OOOOOOHHHHHHH…..but you are…" she hissed under her breath. "First lets get you to the tailoring shop and pick an outfit, then we can discuss your….social problems…"

He growled behind her.

---

"No, Gill….that doesn't match,…neither does that one,…or that,….Gill!? Are you color blind!?" Luna shrieked, at Gill's attempts to find an outfit. "That's it! Let me pick it out!"

"No Luna!" Gill yelped as she tried to squirm into the dressing room.

"Come now! I've already seen you half naked! Why would the other half be such a big deal!?" she teased, trying vainly to open the door against his violent protests.

Elli was in the back room with Candace, examining different options for their little puppet. (Little puppet being Gill)

"How about this one?" Candace asked softly, pointing to a ruffled collared shirt with a pair of jeans that had holes in the knees.

"Em…I don't think so…" Elli said with a crinkle of her brow.

Candace nodded thoughtfully and continued on. "This one might suit him…" she said, pulling a rocker styled jacket and slacks off the rack.

"Uh……..perhaps something classier,…like a tux…" Elli said gently.

"A tux…." Candace murmured, placing the outfit back on the rack. "We don't have a tux, but I will show you what we have that is similar."

"Okay." Elli said tucking her blue hair behind her ear.

Candace weaved around the rows of clothing and stopped near the end where there was a frighteningly large amount of the color purple…. Candace reached in and pulled out a velvet purple suit, and before she even had the chance to open her mouth, Elli blurted, "Actually, I think he might prefer something with a little less….stiffness. How about this?" She pulled the first thing she could see off the rack opposite her. It was a French maid outfit. (Perhaps where Chase got his…?) "Never mind!" she exclaimed, shoving it back where she got it.

Suddenly there was a thunder of noise in the direction of the dressing room. Elli and Candace ran there to see Gill barreling toward Luna waving a cane over his head threateningly. (where he got the cane, I don't know…) Oh yeah, and he wasn't wearing a shirt again.

"Did you see what you wanted to see, Luna!?" Gill bellowed, sliding over the counter to chase the petite girl.

"Yes!" she sang, leaping behind a clothes rack.

"Is your ridicules question of boxers or briefs answered!?" He screamed, swinging the cane at the rack causing it to topple over.

"YES!" she gasped as her insane laughter bubbled up, sprinting out of his reach.

Elli and Candace stared wide eyed at the strange scene before them, the two knocking over magazines and stacked fabrics, when suddenly the door opened. They all froze and turned their heads toward the newcomer.

Juli stood in the doorway with baffled look on his face. His long purple locks sprayed out behind him, his red eyes wide, and his mouth slightly hung open on one side. "What are you doing!?"

"Juli!" Candace squeaked.

He smiled at her briefly before turning to Gill. "What is it with you and taking your shirt off!?"

Gill's eyes narrowed.

"Oh great timing Juli!" Elli exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "We need a men's fashion expert!"

Juli perked up from looming over Gill. "Well I'm your man! What do you need?"

Elli motioned to Gill, who still had the cane swung over his shoulder. "Gill has a date tonight, and well….he currently is quite helpless..."

Juli stepped back and examined the blond boy quizzically. "That's for sure." he mumbled.

Gill shot daggers.

"Well! You're in luck! I think I might have the perfect thing! Mind you, it's some of my old clothes, but I'm sure with some quick fixes by the miraculous Candace it will be good in no time!" Juli flashed a prize worthy grin, and Candace blushed.

"Your clothes!?" Gill hissed. "No thank you."

Juli ignored him. "I'll bring it to your house later tonight. Gill, in the meantime, perhaps you should put your clothes back on. You are making a terrible glare in the room." And with that he disappeared through the door he had entered just moments before.

"Juli's right, Gill." Luna said with a nod. "I have to squint to see you." She squinted her eyes and flailed her arms out in front of her, while Gill mumbled death threats and slid back into the dressing room.

Candace and Elli exchanged looks.

"Gill!" Elli called, knocking on the dressing room door, after he had been in there for a good ten minutes. "Time for dating class!"

A few minutes later, Gill, Elli, and Luna were all seated at a table.

"Alright, lets begin with the basics." Elli began. "This is a true or false question. When you go to pick up your date you arrive fashionably late."

There was a tense silence.

"False!" Luna sang.

"I knew that!" Gill spat, then yelled to the short girl, "Why are you here anyway!? To torture me!?"

"Why would I want to torture you!? I want to listen to Elli's date lesson too!" She said innocently.

"Yeah, right."

"Okay, you can listen too." Elli said, blushing. "But Gill needs to say the answers."

She nodded.

"Alright, so, the first thing you should do, after picking up your date is to tell her what you have been doing all day. True or false?"

Another tense silence.

"T-True…?" Gill said hesitantly.

"No." Elli sighed. "You are supposed to show interest in _her_! You should be the one who asks what her day was like."

"Alright. I'll remember that." He promised.

"Okay, so then you are at the restaurant where you are going to eat. The first thing you should do once arriving at your table is to… A) sit down, B) tell her she looks good, C) help her sit down, or, D) none of the above."

Gill squinted and scratched the back of his head. "I think it's….C--" Luna was shaking her head and mouthing 'B' vigorously. "I mean B!" he shouted.

"No, Gill. The answer was C." Elli sighed again.

"Luna!" Gill bellowed at the girl who was laughing hysterically. He pushed his chair away from the table angrily. "That's enough of these stupid dating lessons, and I don't need a new outfit, they aren't going to help anyway! Not for what I want!"

The other two stared up at him.

"Well, what is it that you want?" Luna asked nonchalantly.

Gill frowned then spat. "To not go on this stupid date!!"

---

"Excuse me, Chase…?"

Chase glanced over his shoulder from his simmering pot at the green haired girl who was peering at him from behind her red rimmed glasses.

"What's up Pat?" he asked with a smile, one hand stirring a large wooden spoon, the other stretching for a bowl that was just out of reach.

Pat picked up the bowl he was trying to get and placed it in his hand. He smiled in thanks then turned back to his work, as a shiver ran down her spine.

"So this date tonight…" she began uncertainly. He glanced up again. "What do you have…planned?"

"Well, I was thinking we could come here for dinner and then…I don't know, play games or something…" His pot spat angrily at him and he quickly turned the heat down.

"Oh, that should be fun." she said to make conversation, causing him to smile at her again, causing more shivers. Earlier that morning, Elli had told her that she was going to try and find Gill a new outfit to wear, one that would catch Akari's attention. Pat was worried that it would actually work and wanted desperately to help the poor peach haired boy by finding him a great new outfit too. So, she asked hesitantly, "But I was wondering…"

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you had anything special you were going to wear."

"Nope. Just the regular." he said with a shrug. "Well, I'll ditch the apron though."

"Oh…" she looked him up and down, he shuffled uncomfortably under her gaze.

"What is it?"

"Oh nothing…its just…"

"Tell me!" he stirred more vigorously.

She blinked. "Well, it's just…you want to make a good impression right?"

He stopped stirring. "Yeah."

"Well then you probably shouldn't wear things with juice stains on them…you know?"

"I have another shirt…"

"I was referring to something…_really_ nice. Like a suit."

"Oh, well, thanks for the advice..." he said, turning the spoon around the pot again. "But I don't think I will. I want to be myself on this date, and I wont feel much like myself if I'm wearing a stuffy suit." he glanced at her over his shoulder. "Okay?"

Her respect for him grew, he was such a sincere guy! Forget Gill and his fancy new clothes! Chase deserved Akari's love!

"That's a great attitude." she said with a smile.

His face became slightly confused, but he shrugged and focused again on his cooking.

"I'm sure you will win her heart!" Pat exclaimed with a grin, and then slid out of the kitchen with a, "See you later!" as Chase just blinked for a moment, caught off guard. Suddenly the tea pot began it's high pitched whistling. "Crap!" he moaned, setting his spoon down and swiveling toward the tea pot as the concoction in the bubbling copper pot started spitting and frothing over the edge. He quickly set the tea pot aside and twirled back to the big pot, spoon in hand, as he smelt something burning in the oven. "Oh no!" he gasped, whipping around to solve that problem, knocking over an open jar of cinnamon in the process. He cursed under his breath and reached for the fire extinguisher.

---

"Gilly!!!!!!!!" Akari exclaimed, as she burst through the doors of Town Hall dressed in a bright purple bunny costume.

No response.

"Eh?" She opened her eyes and glanced around the large open room. No Elli was trying to hide the blush from her face and no Gill was trying to pretend she didn't exist. It was quiet…too quiet…

"Where did everybody go!?"

Again, no answer.

A sinister smile crept across her face as she rubbed her fluffy paws together maliciously.

"Sabotage!" she cackled, her voice echoing loudly through the empty building.

---

"Akari!? Why are you dressed like a rabbit!?" Luke laughed as she bounced up the hill to the Secret Spot.

"What's strange about me dressing up like a bunny!?" she exclaimed, coming to a stop next to him.

He thought about this for a moment. "You have a point…"

She grinned underneath her rabbit ear hood.

"And you do make a pretty cute bunny rabbit…" he mused with a tilt of his head.

She danced joyfully and wiggled her cotton tail, then plopped on the ground next to him.

"Hey, Lukie, you ready to play Truth or Dare!?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah!" He said cheerfully, then his smile faded and he scratched his head. "Well, as long as another one of those…uncomfortable dares doesn't happen."

She laughed. "I'm sure there will be more!"

"Great…"

She perked up when she saw Candace and Luna coming up over the hill. Candace blushed suddenly when she looked at her and Luna burst into laughter. "Akari the bunny!" Luna gasped. "Priceless!!" Candace came up close to her with her hand hovering over one of the furry bunny ears hesitantly. "C-Can I…?"

"Of course you can pet me!!!!" Akari cried, flinging her hands up in the air.

Candace flinched but gently brushed her hand against the ear, a smile blooming on her face. _I wonder if I could make one of these…_she thought.

"Your kidding me!?" Came the voice of Juli. "A bunny costume!? First Chase, now you!? But you weren't even dared!!" He put his hands on his hips and smirked down at the purple rabbit.

"I know." Was all she said, a cat-like grin curling slowly across her lips.

He rolled his eyes playfully and sat down just as Gill and Chase could be seen stalking up the hill. Gill shooting evil glances the whole way. Pat was close behind, and soon after they had all admired Akari's bunny suit, and Gill had told her she looked like an idiot, and Chase had blushed fiercely as he said she looked adorable (Not in so many words. What he actually said was, "Akari…*blush*…I like your bunny ears…*blush, blush*") they all sat down on the grass in their normal positions.

"Alright everybody!!" Akari cheered. "Who's turn is it to go first!?"

She looked at each in turn. Pat shrugged, Luke pointed exaggeratedly at himself, Candace looked away, Luna twisted a lock of her hair, Juli just smiled, Chase's face was blank, and Gill was frowning.

"Okay! Go ahead Lukie!" she sang.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, making a fist, then pointed dramatically at Pat. "Do you have a secret crush!?"

"You didn't ask truth or dare." she mumbled vacantly.

"Shoot!" he smacked himself in the head then yelled, "Truth or dare!?"

"Dare."

"Crap!" Luke yelled, while everyone shook their head in disbelief of his stupidity. "Uh….I dare you to tell me if you have a secret crush!"

"No. That would be a truth."

"Gah!" he scratched his head, then something caught his eye. It was a pair of sandaled feet sticking out from behind the tree. "Wait…" he said counting everyone in the circle. "Isn't everybody already here…?"

Akari nodded confusedly, then stood and poked her bunny head around the tree.

"To-Bi-Do-By!!!!!" she exclaimed, suddenly leaping on the silver haired boy who was currently napping peacefully.

"Oof!!" Toby gasped, eyes slowly opening to see a purple bunny sitting on top of him. "Hey Akari…" he mumbled sleepily. "You are on my lungs."

"Oh sorry!" she rolled to the side and curled up next to him. "Toby…" she whispered. "Do you want to play Truth or Dare with us?"

"What!? Why do you keep inviting people!?" Luke complained, suddenly hovering over them with an irritated frown. "Before you know it there will be no room under the tree!"

"That may be true…" Juli mused. "Luke. You can leave to make room for Toby."

"Shut up Juli!" Luke barked, shooting daggers. "If anyone were voted off the island it would be you!"

"Actually…" Said Gill. "I have to side with Juli on this one."

"Agreed." Added Luna.

"You guys are….JERKS!" Luke exclaimed, for lack of a better word, and plopping down on the grass again in a pout.

"So, Toby? Will you play?" Akari asked again, completely ignoring the conversation.

Toby yawned. "Yeah…sure."

"Great!" she exclaimed, dragging him to his feet and then pushing him down again in a spot next to Gill. "Okay! So now I think it is Pat's turn!"

"But I never got my turn!" Luke whined.

"You lost your turn." Akari stated curtly. "Go ahead Pat."

Luke whimpered while Pat glanced over to Toby.

"Truth or dare?" she asked softly.

"Truth…"

"Do _you _have a secret crush?"

A drunken grin spread over his face. "Yes."

"Oh." she said nodding.

"Fish."

"Oh?" her eyes widened and everybody exchanged looks of mild shock. "Well, your turn…" she said warily.

His head suddenly dropped on Gill's shoulder, causing the blond boy to stiffen uncomfortably.

"Gill…" Toby breathed. "Truth or dare?"

"Uh…" he tried to lean away but Toby just leaned with him. "Dare."

"I dare you…to sing everything you say for the rest of the day."

Juli made a choking sound.

Gill frowned, but mumbled, "Okay."

Pat sighed. This was going to make the date…strange…

"Nuh-uh." Toby garbled. "You have to sing _everything_ as of now."

Gill's face twitched. "~_Okaaaaay_~" he said in a singsong voice.

Akari hid her face in her paws, trying to hide the smile that exploded there, while Juli and the others were gasping out bits of laughter, and Luke laughed openly with his head thrown back and his shoulders bouncing.

"I believe it is your turn now." Toby said evilly, sitting up.

Gill's brow furrowed and his eyes darkened. "~_Akari…truth or daaaaare?~_" he sang.

Luke was dying… seriously. Akari peaked at him from in between her paws, trying desperately to hide her laughter. "Sorry, what was that?" she asked sweetly.

His eyes narrowed threateningly. "_~I saaaaid, truth or daaaare?~"_

"Oh!" she exclaimed as her laughter slipped out. "Dare!"

"_~I daaaare you to hiiiit Luuuuuke.~_"

Luke's laughter suddenly died and his eyes went big as he stared at the bunny fist that was reeling back. "Sorry, Lukie." she said, grinning. "Akari….n-no…" he squeezed his eyes shut as she swung her fist forward and hit him in the shoulder. His eyes flickered open, glancing down at her fist then up to her face.

"Akari! You didn't hit him hard enough!" Gill exclaimed, Toby glared at him, then Gill sang, "I mean…_~ you didn't hit him haaaaard enough!~_"

"Well, I didn't want to hit him very hard." she explained, tipping her head to the side, making her bunny ears bounce. "Plus, you didn't say I had to hit him hard anyway."

Gill muttered singsong profanities under his breath.

"My turn!" Akari announced. "Ju-Ju Baby! Truth or dare!?"

Juli flipped his hair in the breeze. "Dare."

"Ooooooh! I dare you to….improvise a poem about Luke right now!"

Juli smiled demonically, Luke winced.

"I will call my poem, 'Ode to the Idiot'…" he began, standing and raising his arms dramatically, then cleared his throat. "Ode to you who is so idiotic, to you who knows nothing and shall never know anything. To you who cannot comprehend simple logic and believes a square root is just that….a square root. To you who cannot open your mouth without sending nonsense into the atmosphere…and who believes a flaming bandana is fashionable. I pray that your children do not inherit your stupidity. Amen."

There was a moment of silence, then Luna started clapping enthusiastically. "Bravo!" she yelled. "Encore!!" Luke seemed to sink noticeably. Akari put her paw on his knee. "It's okay Lukie, he was just kidding." she said, smiling comfortingly. "Right?" Juli sat back down and glanced up with his cat-like eyes. "Of course." he said unconvincingly.

"Well, it's your turn Ju-Ju." Akari said.

"Alright. Luke, truth or dare?" Juli said.

Luke seemed to be getting tired of begin chosen, he felt a little picked on, but he made a tough face and said, "Dare."

Juli unveiled another wicked grin and said, "I dare you to have a sleep over at Akari's house tonight."

Luke's face was blank. Chase and Gill glowered at Juli, who apparently didn't notice or didn't care and was too busy, anyways, cackling at his death sentence. Pat sighed again, and Luna and Candace were speechless.

"Oh goodie!" Akari exclaimed passionately. "A slumber party!" She tugged on Luke's shoulder. "Will you let me braid your hair!?"

Luke looked at her as if he had never seen her before and nodded without knowing it. "Yay!!!!" she cheered. "It's going to be so much fun!!!" Suddenly her smile drooped. "Oh wait…I have that date tonight…" Luke snapped awake. "Oh really? Oh that's okay, we don't need to have the sleep over--"

"No it's fine!" She cut in. "You can just come over later!!!" Luke's eyes shifted from Gill to Chase who were both now focusing their evil glares at him. "I'm so excited!!" Akari sang. "We can stay up _all_ night long doing fun things!!!!"

Luke ran his hand nervously over his bandana and gulped. _Yeah…_he thought, _As long as I don't get killed first…_

---

Later that night, Chase stood at Akari's doorstep with a daisy in his hand. He had been standing there for what felt like forever, and had been wringing his hands so much that four of the five daisies he started with now lay twisted at his feet. His hair seemed to be more wild then it normally was, probably due to the fact that he kept running his fingers through his hair nervously. He raised his first to the soft wooden door for the fiftieth time, and for the fiftieth time he let it fall back to his side, then ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

Suddenly the door flew open and there was Akari.

His heart started beating three times as fast as it had only a second before as she stood there with a concerned frown on her face that quickly melted into a bright grin.

"Chasy! There you are!" she exclaimed, brushing the skirt smooth on her cute orange sun dress. "Ready to go?"

He felt his cheeks go hot as he stared down into her warm chocolate eyes. "H-hey…" he choked, then shoved the daisy into her hands wordlessly.

She smiled at the tiny flower. "Thanks!" she gushed as if he had just handed her some priceless gem. Then she weaved the flower into her hair and secured it with a hair pin pulled from her skirt pocket. "Does it look good?" she asked softly, her lips curled in the familiar smile.

"Yes…" he said just as softly, her smile making him smile.

"Great!" she exclaimed, then strung her arm through his and said, "Let's go!"

---

"Akari, what are you doing!?"

She stared at him.

Gill cleared his throat. "I mean, _~Akaaaari, what are you doooooing!?~_"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked, just to make him sing more. (He had refused to talk up until this point.)

"_~It looks like you aaaare maaaaking a messsss!~"_

She laughed at him. "No, I'm making salt people!" she exclaimed, dumping more salt out of the salt shaker onto the table and moving it around with her finger to form the legs of 'Mr. Saltmon.'

Pat leaned over and looked at her creation. "It's very nice." she said kindly.

"Thanks, Pati!" Akari gushed, then looked up at Gill critically. "I've been dying to know…what's up with your outfit Gilly?"

He wrapped his arms across his chest protectively, trying to hide it from their eyes. He had put the shirt on that evening after Juli had delivered it and promised it was made out of a great material and would fit perfectly. Little did he know that 'fit' to Juli meant skin tight and 'great material' meant practically see through. Not to mention, the pants Juli had given him were extremely tight as well… "_~Doooon't aaaask.~_" he sang.

Just then Chase came into the room carrying two heaping plates of delicious smelling food. Akari blew Mr. Saltmon at Gill, making him blink angrily when the salt got in his eyes, as Chase placed a plate in front of her and the other in front of Pat. He then quickly left the room only to appear again with two more plates. One for Gill and himself. The second he sat down Akari shoveled a spoonful into her mouth. He waited nervously while she chewed and swallowed, praying she would like it. Once she had finished the mouthful she just sat and stared at nothing for a moment, then turned her gaze to Chase. He was startled at her expression, it being on the verge of tears.

"D-Does it taste bad!?" he exclaimed, terrified.

She shook her head wiping away her tears. "It tastes….BEAUTIFUL!" She suddenly clung to his arm and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, causing him to blush cutely. "Will you marry me!?" she cried.

He froze and his face turned as red as a stop light.

Pat smiled at the precious scene and took a small bite of her meal.

Gill held his glass a little too tightly and looked as if he wanted to break something…or better yet, burn something.

Akari shoveled another spoonful into her mouth, unaware of the tension.

Once everyone had calmed down somewhat, the conversation bounced from the Truth or Dare game to everyday life. What was Pat's latest invention? (She went ahead and described a machine that none of them understood.) Was there anything interesting going on at Town Hall? (Unlikely…) Had Chase conquered any new recipes recently? (He had, and the description of the dish made Akari beg to be his bride again. Needless to say, his face turned a lovely shade of red.) Had Akari been working hard on her farm? (Her reply to this was, "What farm?") Soon they all had finished their meal and Chase went back to the kitchen for their desert. It was Akari's favorite, Cheese Cake. She practically had inhaled the piece as soon as it had been set in front of her and was licking the plate before Chase had the chance to pick up his fork.

"Osh…" she breathed, leaning back in her chair and patting her full belly. "That was the best meal of my life."

"That's the best compliment I could have ever hoped for." Said a flattered, blushing, grinning Chase.

Gill had been in the process of stabbing his cake, but had stabbed the table instead. His face was vacant as he stared at his cake, his deep blue eyes held so much sadness. Pat glanced sideways at him. Her heart went out to the poor boy…but she was so, so, _so_ happy for that silly grin that was plastered on Chase's face.

---

After all the plates had been cleared up, and they played a few hands of "Go Fish," requested by Akari, Chase glanced at the clock and gasped. "I had no idea it was this late…I guess it's time to end the date…"

"Oh no!" Akari exclaimed. "I wish that only time would wait, and now I must…anticipate…"

"That makes no sense." Gill spat bitterly. (He had given up singing quite a while ago…)

"I couldn't think of anything else that would rhyme…"

"Do not worry, do not feel bad," Chase said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "When on this night much fun was had."

She grinned. "What can I say? What can I do? I feel so lucky to have a friend like you."

"That's so precious… I think I might puke…" Gill mumbled. "Come on, I'll walk you home Pat." He walked out without so much as a goodbye, Pat shuffling quickly behind him and thanking Chase for the wonderful food. Chase and Akari followed them outside and waved to Pat until they disappeared around the corner.

Throughout the dinner, Chase had slowly became more and more comfortable with having Akari next to him. He realized he wanted to saver this feeling for as long as he could, and so he offered his arm to her and said, "Come, my Lady, and we shall go…down the road back to your home."

"Oh, kind Sir. I will indeed…" she grinned and took his arm. "Of a walking companion, I was in need."

They strolled arm in arm, silent, enjoying the quiet sounds of the night. The crickets chirping, the leaves whispering, the sound of their sandaled foot falls on the cobbled street…all were like pleasant music….but too soon did they arrive at her door.

---

Gill was wondering around town aimlessly after he had said goodbye to Pat. The thoughts that were tumbling through his head made him so confused. Why did it bother him so much that Akari seemed to be growing attached to Chase? Chase was a good guy, it wasn't like he was insane like Luke, or just plain creepy like Juli…he was…nice… But for some reason he felt ill every time he saw them together…and now it was whenever he thought of them together too…what was wrong with him?

Was he….jealous…?

No, no, of course not! That would be ridicules! It would be nice for a change to have her clinging all over someone else and pestering them. Now he might actually get some work done!

Yeah…Chase would soon realize that having her around was nothing but trouble!

Just wait until she follows him around so much that he has to make sure she didn't follow him into the bathroom when he has to use the toilet!

Just wait until he wakes up and sees her hovering over him with a badly made breakfast that she insists he eats!

Just wait until she follows him to work and begs to help until he gives in and then she ruins something!

Just wait until she chases him down and forces him to play games with her all day!

Just wait until she breaks into his house and goes through his things and steals his clothes!

Just wait until she comes and pounds on his door at three in the morning because she had a nightmare and didn't know who else could comfort her!

He slowed his brisk walk at that last thought.

He remembered her face that night…she had been crying, and for the longest time she wouldn't admit what was wrong. He had been cranky and wanted her to leave, so he yelled at her…and that made her cry again…he hated himself in that moment. She was kneeling on the floor next to the bed he was sitting in, her face buried in his blanket. "Tell me what's wrong…" he had whispered. And suddenly it was as if he was overwhelmed by a flood as she told him the terrors of her nightmare, clinging to his hand, tears dripping into his palm. He had brushed her hair with his free hand like how his father used to do for him, and soon she had fallen asleep. He had laid back down, careful not to pull his hand out of hers so he wouldn't wake her. She had squirmed slightly and placed her head on his forearm, in the morning he wouldn't be able to feel it, but at that moment he didn't care. He remembered looking at her tear stained face, her eyelashes glued together, her cheeks reddened, her bangs stuck to her slick forehead…

Gill glanced up now and found himself in Akari's farm. He had no memory of how he had come here, and yet, this was exactly where he wanted to be.

He started forward with a slight smile, suddenly hopeful to see his friend…but then he stopped. At her door, Akari and Chase stood close together, Chase's back to him. He could see her mouth moving but couldn't hear what she was saying, then she smiled and Gill felt that familiar sickness in his stomach. Suddenly Chase bent down and Akari stood on her tiptoes and for a moment her face was hidden by his. It only looked like one thing….and that one thing made something inside him ache terribly. The sickness replaced by an odd numbness that tasted bitter on his tongue.

His head fell…and his heart, …as he slowly walked away…

---

(Rewind!!)

"Thanks for dinner and everything." Akari said smiling up at Chase. "It really was amazing!"

"I'm glad you liked it." he said, smiling in turn. "And I'm really glad you came."

Her eyes shifted to something on his face then she laughed. "There is something on your cheek!"

He brushed at his cheek but missed the crumb.

"Here, let me get it." she said.

He bent forward slightly to make it easier for her to reach and she stood on her tiptoes to brush away the frosting on his cheek.

"There!" she said, slipping back to her regular height. "Good as new!"

"Thanks."

"Well, goodnight!" she said turning on her heel and opening the door to her little house. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Goodnight." he breathed. The second she had closed the door behind her Chase suddenly reacted to how close their faces had been. Reaction being : widening of eyes, shaky hands, dry mouth, and, of course, his trademark blush.

As he walked home that night his huge smile might as well have been the moon.

---

Even later that night, after Akari had called up Luke for their slumber party, the blue haired boy stood on her doorstep, hesitant to knock.

_When I go into her house…will I die…?_ he thought.

The door suddenly burst open and there was Akari dressed in giraffe print pajama pants and an old T-shirt that said DISNEYLAND. He flinched back in shock and shielded his head with his arms as if she was going to throw something at him.

"There you are Lukie!?" She exclaimed. "Come in!"

He peaked at her, decided she at least wasn't going to kill him….for now…, and followed her inside her brightly lit house. Once he was in she closed the door, his only escape route. He flinched again.

"Well, what should we do first!?" She asked, taking the bag from his arm and flinging it to the ground. Then she started talking really fast. "Should we paint fingernails!? I can do my left hand if you can do my right, I always mess up on my right hand! Oh! How about we tell ghost stories!! I've got a good one! It's about this guy who-- No! No! Let's make some popcorn and then watch 'I couldn't help but love you!!!' (pulls the six disc set from seemingly nowhere) I borrowed it from Elli!! Do you think we could watch all thirty episodes in one night!?"

Luke turns towards you, his eyes are wide and filled with horror, his face twists as he yells a ghoulish, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

You shall be haunted by this sound until the next chapter…until then, goodbye~

---

**Holy cows…this chapter is so long…**

**I'm super sorry if y'all don't find this chapter that interesting, it might be because I'm so excited for the next two chapters that I simply just want to get to them! **

**So yeah…stay tuned for next time on Truth or Dare things are getting GOOD! **

…**want a hint…? *cough* handcuffs *cough* …but with whom…?**

**Reviewers will be given…um…chocolate…so please review!!!!**

**Random thing that seriously happened two seconds ago : My little brother and his friends just chanted "R2D2!" (ya know…from starwars…) It kind of scared the crap out of me for a second there…I'm not going to lie….*ahem* please continue…**


	9. Bo Bo

Part 9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So after the long and painful death of my mother's "lappy" (laptop) I had the horrible experience of watching all my precious stories disappear right before my eyes. (Even the beginning of this chapter that I had gotten a good deal into vanished….that was very frustrating…) In addition to that I was suddenly was swamped at school and work and found myself with very little free time. This is partially why I haven't updated in….months… So I am super sorry for any of you that I have given grief. No worries now, hopefully I will begin writing as fast as I was before. So now, after a terribly long wait, I present to you…..

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**Truth or Dare**

**Bo-Bo **

**Luke's big toe twitched. **

**And then there was the sound of crying….more like blubbering…" **

"**Lukie…." (sob, sob)**

**His toe twitched again.**

"**Lukie……" (sob, sniffle) **

**His hand came up and scratched his butt.**

"**Lukie….YOU MISSED IT!!!!!" Akari wailed.**

"**Geh?" Luke mumbled slowly opening one eye.**

**Akari scrambled toward him on the floor and stuck her face right up close to his. Tears were bubbling down her cheeks. "Lukie! Eleanor died!!!!!!!!!!" She collapsed to the ground in grief. **

**Behind her the "I Couldn't Help but Love You" theme song was playing dramatically as the credits rolled. Discs, bearing the long solemn faces of the characters, lay all over the floor along with empty soda cans, half eaten cookies, fingernail polish, and curlers. The place basically had ****Slumber Party!!!! **written all over it.

"Oh?" Luke said groggily, pulling his foot out of the popcorn bowl, "Is that all?" And closed his eye again.

Akari stared a gasp. "Is that _ALL!?_ She just sacrificed herself so that her children can have a happy life and you say, 'Is that all'!?"

Luke froze, pretending to be asleep.

Akari gave up, whipped her tears on the sleeve of her oversized t-shirt, swiveled back to the television and exclaimed, "We only made it through the first two discs!!! ….and its almost nine…"

Luke shot up.

_Nine!? Already!?_

He leapt to his feet and hastily gathered up his belongings while Akari blabbered on about how she wondered what would happen in the next episode.

"Do you think Danny and Fran will get back together? Who do you think is the father of Staci's baby? We have time to watch at least one more episode right…? I'd hate to return the set to Elli without enjoying the entire series! You agree right?"

She turned around and realized her guest was trying to make a break for it the same second Luke looked down at his toes and found they were flamingo pink.

"Your leaving!?" She gasped at the same time he yelled, "What did you do to me!?"

She shrugged. "You chose that color."

He stared at her in horror.

"I told you it wouldn't look good with your hair color, but you insisted… don't blame me…"

"You painted my toenails!?" He gasped.

"Well, sure…" she cocked her head to the side. "You asked me to…"

Luke wiggled his toes in disbelief.

"I did your fingernails too!" she added cheerily. "I think they look wonderful with your eyes!"

Luke dropped the blanket he had had wadded in his hands and looked at his purple fingernails.

"This cant be happening…" he muttered, running his fingers through his hair…only to find he couldn't.

He pulled one plushy powder pink curler from his hair and shivered when a ringlet bounced in his peripheral vision.

He dashed to the mirror and whipped his flaming bandana off his head to find it entire covered with more pink curlers.

_What's Bo gunna say when he sees me like this…?_

"I was shocked too…" Akari muttered, appearing in the mirror behind him like a ghost in a horror movie. " I never though you were _that _kind of guy…"

"I'm not!" he yelped.

She raised an eyebrow. "Riiiiiight…."

He tugged at the ringlet, willing it to go straight. "Look…when I get really tired I do…weird things…"

"Weird things…? Describe…'weird things'." She said pulling a notepad from seemingly nowhere and impersonating a psychiatrist's voice.

"Well.." He said plopping on the couch, "I sleep talk…heck! I can keep on a conversation in my sleep! And I sleep walk too…"

"Sleep….walk…too…" she mumbled as she scribbled in her notepad. "Has this happened since your childhood?"

"I don't know… Its happened ever since I can remember…so, I guess…"

"Ever since you could remember, huh?" She made some loud marks on the paper then looked up at him curiously. "My diagnosis is that you have an inferiority complex toward your brother."

Luke nearly fell off the couch. "My what!? I don't even have a brother!"

She blinked at him innocently. "We were acting out a scene in "I Couldn't Help but Love You," weren't we?"

Just then there was some wild knocking at the door.

Akari jumped up to get it and was shocked to see Elli standing there panting heavily.

"A-Akari!" she gasped. "C-Come quick! Something is wrong with Gill!!"

Akari wordlessly threw a jacket over herself and quickly followed Elli out the door and down the road.

Luke ran to the door and yelled after her, "Wait!! What am I supposed to do!? Don't you have any nail polish remover or something!?"

Bo wandered by just then, caught sight of Luke, and fell into a bush.

---

Gill's eyes slowly opened and he instantly became aware that something wasn't right. He was in his room. Yes, that was normal even though he didn't remember how he got there. He was dressed in a pair of his pajamas. Well, that was weird, since he didn't remember changing into them…but that wasn't what was bothering him. He couldn't remember anything from the night before after he took Pat home, but that didn't really feel like it either.

He rolled his head to the side.

And there it was…

There _she_ was…

"Akari?" he breathed.

She had her face buried in her arms propped up on the bed while kneeling on the floor, sleeping peacefully.

Was he dreaming? Was she really here? Why would she be here, but…why shouldn't she be here…?

His hand reached out and brushed against her hair slightly. He was hesitant, as if he feared she would vanish at his touch.

"Your real." he whispered with a smile and let his hand rest on her head gently. "But why…?"

Her large brown eyes opened then and stared for a moment into his dark blue ones.

"Hey, Gilly." She whispered. "I'm glad your okay." A small smile curled her lips.

"Okay? What happened to me?"

"You don't remember?"

He just stared.

"Well," she began, "They said that Toby found you this morning under a tree and you were all wet."

"Wet!?"

"Yeah, like you fell in the river."

"Oh."

A large tear slid down her cheek and she said, "I'm so glad you are okay! I was so worried that you were hurt. I don't know what I'd do without you Gilly."

He was touched by her sweet display of concern…until she started slapping her cheek. "Sheesh!" She exclaimed, sitting up rubbing her face. "I hate it when I don't get enough sleep! It makes my eyes all teary!"

Needless to say, he felt a little depressed.

---

Latter that day Akari, Luke, and Gill (after reassuring everyone that he was fine) (Elli had overreacted, thinking it was a life or death situation. She has watched too many soap operas…) were sitting underneath the tree at the Special Spot.

Gill was watching Luke suspiciously and Luke was squirming under his gaze.

"I like that look." Gill finally said. "What do you call it? ….The homemaker?"

Luke's face burned. He had tried, in vain, to pick the nail polish off his fingernails and to hide his perfectly ringlet hair beneath his bandana. But those stubborn curls decided to pop out every which way until he very much did look like a housewife.

"Shut up you wet cat!" Luke spat, proud of his new name to call Gill.

Gill rolled his eyes. "Well I suppose you could be a home wreaker…but you wouldn't even be worth a dollar."

Luke's eyes narrowed menacingly.

"Okay that's enough!" Mediator Akari broke in just before the bloodshed.

Chase could be seen making his way up the hill carrying something behind his back.

"Hey Chasy-Roo!" Akari cheered happily. "Come sit by me!!"

Chase's face rapidly turned rosy as he sat down between her and Luke, and hastily placed a little flower he had been holding in her hands.

"Oh, for me?" she said, shocked by the simple and sweet gift. "Oh Chasy you are the best!" And with that she popped the flower into her mouth, chewed and swallowed.

This took all three boys by surprise. They just stared for a moment before Akari grinned softly and exclaimed, "How did you know I love those flowers!? They taste just like sugar!!"

Chase laughed and blushed even more while Gill felt his stomach twisting again and couldn't help but want to lash out at Chase like a wild animal.

The others all appeared on the slope then to come join the game. Chase noticed with a grin that Akari wouldn't let anyone sit between them. But then she also wouldn't let anyone sit between Chase and Luke…or Luke and Gill, for some unknown reason…

"Who's turn is it?" Akari asked, once everyone was settled.

"I'm not sure…" Toby mumbled from behind the tree, "But I would like to start.""Of course you can!" Akari exclaimed, while dragging him over to come sit with the group.

"Great." he said sleepily. "Luke, truth or dare?"

Luke winced. "T-Truth?"

"What do you call that outfit?" Julius cut in.

"Homemaker!" Akari sputtered at the same time Gill mumbled, "Home wreaker…"

Julius tipped his head to the side thoughtfully. "I don't even know who to agree with…its that shocking…" he muttered under his breath.

Attention floated back to Toby who was visibly thinking up a question.

"Do you…often…dress in women's clothing…?" Toby asked.

The group burst into laughter, all except Luke of course who was turning violet with anger and embarrassment. "No, I _never_ dress in women's clothing!" he spat.

"_Riiiiight_…." Toby mumbled before nodding off on a very disgusted Luna's shoulder.

"Shud up you--you lazy boy! Luke isn't into that sort of thing!"

All eyes turned to the figure who had just appeared on the hillside. The tough looking, undeniably cute young man who worked with Luke at the carpenter's. None other than Bo! TA-DA!

Said undeniably cute boy raised an eyebrow cutely. "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"He cant play." Julius announced curtly.

"Yeah, this is a grown up game." Luke piped in. Bo's face fell dramatically at his betrayal.

"A grown up game?" Gill said mumbled.

"What are you playing?" Bo asked sweetly, even though he was trying so hard to sound gruff and tough.

"Truth or Dare!" Akari gushed. "Do you want to play, Bo-Bo!?"

"Dang it Akari!" Luke cussed silently.

"Bo-Bo?" Gill muttered. "Akari, your nicknames are getting worse and worse…"

"I know!" she exclaimed, collapsing to the ground in defeat. "My creativity is dwindling!"

"Truth or Dare isn't a grown up game!" Bo challenged, his hands on his hips.

"S-Sure it is!" Luke threw back. "We are grown ups and we are playing it!"

Bo raised an eyebrow, this time in disbelief of Luke's stupidity. "Shud up Luke. Akari invited me and I'm playing." And with that he plopped down between Luna and Gill.

"Fine!" Luke spat bitterly.

"It's your turn Luke." Akari reminded the blue haired pouting boy.

He scratched his head then pointed to Bo. "If you are sure you want to play…Truth or Dare, Bo!"

"Truth!" Bo declared.

"Do you have a secret crush!?"

"No!"

"That's a lie! I know you do!"

"You don't know anything!"

"I know enough to know who you have the hots for!"

"Shud up you home wreaker!"

"You heard that!?"

"Enough!" Julius yelled rubbing his head. "And I thought Luke was annoying…now there are two of him…anyway, its your turn Bo."

Bo grinned, he sensed the power he had over these older people and he liked it. "Luna, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." she muttered.

"I dare you to cut your hair!"

"No you little beast! I'm not going to cut my hair!"

"You have to, you have to! I dared you!"

"Cant we still do chickens?" she begged.

"I think we cut those out a long time ago." Luke chipped in, liking the idea of torturing the princess.

"I don't care. I refuse." she said with a pout.

"But you have to…I dared you…" Bo said sadly. He was beating the strength of her pout easily and even whipping up a few tears.

She stared at him for a long hard moment before buckling. "I guess…but don't expect me to cut it all off…just a few inches for you."

He would take that small victory. Bo smiled up into her face with false adoration.

"Okay." Luna said, back to business. "Gill, Truth or Dare?"

Gill looked up with plain annoyance on his face. "Truth…"

"Great!" She exclaimed, leaning over Bo to look him in the eye. "Why were you on the side of that river this morning?"

Gill avoided her gaze. "I don't know."

"Don't know? That's weird. What did you guys do last night?"

"Well after dinner we played 'go fish'…and then Gill walked Pat home and Chase walked me home." Akari said, trying to be helpful. "You remember the date don't you?"

Gill nodded.

Pat looked at him with a worried expression. "Do you remember anything after taking me home?" she asked timidly.

He shook his head.

"Maybe he was mugged." Bo offered.

"Mugged!? In Waffle Town!? Don't be ridiculous!" Luke exclaimed, chucking a rock at Bo's head. The smaller boy dodged it easily and stuck his tongue out at his co-worker.

"I don't know…." Julius said dramatically, "I've been seeing some strange folks around here recently."

"Really? What do they look like?" Luke asked, suddenly extremely interested.

"Well, they wear bandanas, nail polish, and curl their hair…and they are boys…"

"Shut up you!" Luke spat. "You have no room to talk! I mean…just look at you!!"

"I'm so offended…" Julius said sarcastically.

"Gill's turn!" Akari said suddenly getting everyone's attention again.

Gill looked at Akari's with a blank expression. "Truth or Dare, Akari?"

"Truth!" She proclaimed.

Gill racked his brain but couldn't come up with anything good so he asked the first thing that came to him. "Do you like tomatoes?"

"Hmmm…not really." she said smiling.

"Oh…"

"I like oranges!"

"Hey me too!" Chase exclaimed next to her.

For some reason that made Gill really depressed.

"My turn!" Akari said happily. "Chasy-Roo truth or dare!?"

"Dare…I guess." he said.

Suddenly from behind her back Akari pulled two pairs of fuzzy pink handcuffs. She attached one pair to the wrists of Chase and Luke and the other pair to Luke's other wrist and Gill's wrist. The three boys stared at the odd contraption with utter confusion.

"I dare you to spend twenty four hours handcuffed like this!" Akari exclaimed.

Three pairs of horrified eyes looked up at her desperately.

"There's gotta be another dare you want to do, right!? I mean this is just inhumane!" Luke complained, caught between Chase who already looked like he wanted to gnaw his own hand off to escape and the dark cloud of Gill, who seemed to be slowly marinating in anger at the thought of be attached to Luke.

"Nope, this is my dare!" she sang. "It's funny how these were the only type of handcuffs at the store though…I mean the police don't use pink fuzzy handcuffs do they?" she asked innocently.

Julius snickered.

"What kind of game is this!?" Bo exclaimed with horror as Luke tried to convince him to make a key to let him free of the cuffs. Bo tried desperately to hold back the crocodile tears that were threatening to spill over.

"Aw, don't cry Bo…" Luke begged.

Akari ran over to help Chase take is apron off since he only had one hand now and figured it would only get in the way. Gill looked over just in time to see him bend over slightly, so she could reach easier, and for her to stand on her tip toes. It looked familiar…

Suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks. He _had _seen them stand like that before! Just last night when he saw them…. Gill felt nauseous all of a sudden again. They were practically a couple! But why did that bother him so badly!? It was so incredibly frustrating!

Akari slid back to her regular height, holding Chase's apron, and smiled warmly up into his face as it quickly turned a rosy color.

Maybe,…maybe…Chase was competition for Akari's friendship. _Yeah that must be it! _he decided. (WRONG!)

_Chase and I are both trying to have Akari as our friend…I feel sick when I see them together because I'm jealous that he is being friendlier to her than I am…THAT MAKES SENSE! _(WRONG!)

"I'm not going to lose!" Gill said declared.

"Who you talking to?" Luke said eying him suspiciously.

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**Oh my gosh! Its been so long!**

**If you haven't noticed, I have apparently fallen in love with Bo in the space of this chapter. Don't ask why. I didn't even know what character to add to this chapter and wasn't going to until Bo just appeared and he is so dern cute! I've made him all "I'm so though but really I'm not!" so he is going to be a fun character to play with. (if you noticed how he said "shud up" instead of "shut up" I did that on purpose…I guess to make him seem really young or something.) (I should stop trying to explain things….)**

**Amnesia from a broken heart? Didn't think it was possible but now it is! Sheesh! My story is becoming more of a soap opera than that soap opera Elli watches! **

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I NEED IDEAS!!!! **

**Stay tuned for part 10! (wow….ten is a big number…)**


	10. McWillikinsPukieRoo

**Part 10**

**Oh! Everyone's comments made me so happy! **

**Anyway…This isn't much of a real chapter but follows the antics of the handcuffed trio. Enjoy!**

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Truth or Dare

The Magnificent Adventures of McWillikinsPukieRoo!

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Luke had to go to the bathroom….really bad.

He crossed his legs trying to ignore it. But nature kept on calling…or rather, yelling at him, that he needed to relive himself.

_This is going to be awkward…._he thought.

The three of them (Chase, Luke, and Gill) were all eating dinner at the inn. It was the only place they could agree upon. Chase was eating a pasta with his free right hand. Luke was struggling to eat a steak, each time he tried to cut himself a bite to eat Chase's hand would flop around and make it nearly impossible to see what he was doing. Gill was holding his fork in his left hand and trying to eat some spaghetti doused in tomato sauce. He was having troubles winding the noodles around his fork (he had no coordination in his left hand) and his face was getting more and more contorted with frustration every time the fork fell from his hand.

No one had spoken a word since they had sat down to eat.

But that silence was finally broken when Luke whimpered.

"Guys…I gotta pee."

Gill's eye twitched. "Too bad." he said.

"No…you don't realize how bad I _gotta_ pee!!" Luke exclaimed struggling to get to his feet with two dead weights on either hand. "I'm gunna pee my pants!"

"Go ahead then…" Gill mumbled, starring determinedly at his plate. Turn the fork, turn the fork, lift it to mouth…SPLAT! It hit the plate, sending tomato sauce into his face. He slammed the table in frustration then cleaned his face with a napkin in his right hand, causing Luke to lean over the table getting BBQ sauce all over his shirt.

"You must be forgetting…" Luke said, trying to lick the sauce from his shirt. "If I pee my pants you are gunna have to smell it until tomorrow."

Gill was suddenly to his feet, yanking Luke, and then, Chase, as he stormed to the bathroom.

---

After leaving the inn the three of them hit a crossroads. Literally.

Where were they going to stay? At Luke's, Gill's, or Chase's?

Luke started off in the direction of his house but might as well have been walking on a treadmill, going nowhere fast, for Gill and Chase stood stock still on either side of him.

"Come on guys, lets go to my house." The blue haired boy offered.

"There is no way in heck I am setting foot in _your_ house." Gill spat bitterly. Chase just shrugged.

"Yeah….maybe that's a good idea…." Luke said thoughtfully. "I'm not sure how my dad would react if he saw us like this….I think Bo is already scarred for life…."

Gill rolled his eyes, infuriated that this was actually happening, and stomped off down the road toward his house. Luke was jerked along behind him and in turn Chase tripped into line. "Hey, who said we agreed to go to your house!?" Luke complained to the back of Gill's head.

"Any objections?" Gill huffed.

Luke thought for a moment. "Well, no…."

"None here." Chase chimed in.

"Then my house it is." And with that the procession went down the road to Gill's house. Gill in the lead leaning forward at nearly a ninety degree angle, then Luke dragging his heels into the dirt like a mule, and finally Chase who dawdled behind, tripping over his own feet.

When they arrived at the house, Gill let himself in and then glared at the other two until they followed suit. Hamilton looked up from the paper he was reading and waved to awkward crew as they stumbled in. "Hey boys!" The mayor said. "It's good to see you again." Then he went back to his work.

Luke exchanged a look with Chase and wondered if Gill came home attached by the wrist to random boys in handcuffs often. Especially pink fluffy ones. Chase shrugged as if to say _To each his own…_

"My room is upstairs." Gill said all huffily pointing toward said stairs.

"It's too early to go to bed!" Luke complained like a five year old wanting to stay up late. "Lets do something!"

"Like what? What is there to do when you are attached to a complete idiot! Much more, what would you _want_ to do!?" Gill spat.

Luke looked from Gill to Chase, then back to Gill. "Don't call yourself an idiot." Gill glared at the 'natural blue' and realized his stupidity was causing him physical pain.

"We could watch T.V." Chase offered, seeing that if Gill and Luke were the only ones coming up with ideas someone would lose an arm. Whether it was Gill chopping Luke's arm off or Luke chopping his own arm off. "Wonderful idea!" Luke cheered pulling the other two toward the couch. He plopped down in the center suddenly causing the boys on either side of him to fall haphazardly onto the couch, and reached for the remote with his left arm which so happened to be attached to Gill's right.

"I'll take that." Gill said, reaching out further then Luke with his right arm then tossed the remote into his left hand out of the other boy's reach. "Oh come on!" Luke complained. "I don't want to watch some stupid show that you want to watch!"

"Too bad." Gill replied icily.

Luke lunged for the remote. His right hand shot forward throwing Chase into a face plant on the floor. Then he scrambled on top of Gill, ignoring Gill's furious shouts and Chase's whimpering, and snatched the remote out of Gill's left hand. He then plopped back down on the couch, switched the T.V. to wrestling, and then wondered why Chase was laying on the floor. He leaned forward and jingled the cuffs that held them together. "Get up Chasy-Roo. You're missing _WRESTLING!!!!!" _And with that his voice dropped an octave as he started flexing his arms and making Hulk noises. He turned to Gill and said, "Do you have your tickets?"

Gill looked at him as if he had three eyes and said nothing.

"I _said, _do you have your tickets!?" Luke urged.

"Tickets to what?" Gill finally spat.

"To the GUN SHOW!!!!" He then flexed his arms an inch away from Gill's nose. "See my guns? See my guns? Their names are Baby Bear and Papa Bear!"

"Idiot." Gill grumbled smacking Luke right on the forehead with the flat of his palm and reached for the remote, but the blue haired boy held it behind himself protectively. At that moment Chase leapt up from his position on the floor and took advantage of Luke's fighting off Gill and swiped the remote from his outstretched hand. Both Luke and Gill stared at Chase in surprise as he calmly sat back down on the couch and switched the channel to the home cooking network.

They all sat in silence while some Emril impersonator whipped up some meatloaf surprise.

"Look at those vegetables…" Chase mumbled starry eyed. Luke and Gill exchanged looks. "Enough of that. It's making me hungry." Luke announced stealing the remote back easily, only to find it had suddenly disappeared from his hand and reappeared in Gill's. "Oh come on!" Luke exclaimed. "Change it to wrestling!"

"No way in heck." Gill growled.

"Fine!" Luke said. "As long as its not what you normally watch."

"And just what do I normally watch!?" Gill hissed into Luke's face.

"Oprah." He said matter-of-factly.

A frown spread over Gill's face. He had been pegged. "Fine." he huffed. "But I'll pick the channel as long as we can agree to disagree." Luke nodded and Chase just shrugged. "Okay then…" Gill said almost regretfully as he punched the buttons slowly into the all powerful device he held in his hands. The screen flashed to an opening scene with two lovers held in each others arms while that unmistakable theme music played in the background.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Luke let our a blood curdling scream and flung his arms over his head, as if the ceiling was going to fall on him, making the arms of the boys on either side of him hang at an awkward angle. "Anything but 'I couldn't help but Love you!'"

"Any votes for turning off the T.V.?" Gill asked.

"Aye!" Luke's hand shot up.

"Aye!" Chase said with a nod.

Then simultaneously they all stood up and marched up the stairs.

----

Now the three of them were sitting on the floor in Gill's room staring at one another not knowing what to do. Luke still insisted that it was too early to go to bed so that idea was thrown out the window.

"Well…" Luke finally broke the silence. "How about we play a game?"

"What sort of game?" Gill asked gruffly. "Not truth or dare I hope."

"Oh no, not that. I was thinking something like Twister. Do you have Twister?"

Gill raised an eyebrow and said, "You've got to be kidding me. You do realize that we are all hooked together and so playing Twister will be nearly impossible, right? What a stupid idea. I'm not playing."

"What!?" Luke said all whiney. "I bet you are just afraid! You must have heard I am a master of the art of Twister! None shall beat me!" He flexed his arms again.

"Shut up, you idiot, I'm not afraid of you! And there is no way I would lose to you!" Gill bellowed. "I just hope you don't cry when it's all over!"

"Oh don't worry, I'm gunna rub your stuck up nose into the plastic mat!" Luke taunted.

Gill puffed up his chest and glared down at Luke. "The stupid game is in there!" He said and pointed towards the closet.

"Oh great!" Luke exclaimed and scurried toward the closet dragging the other two behind him. The Twister box was at the very top so Luke jumped with his hands outstretched to reach it, but was too short and only caused Gill and Chase pain as their arms were also yanked up into the air. "Knock it off!" Gill spat, shoving him aside and snatching the box with ease then handing it to the giddy boy next to him.

In seconds the Twister mat had been laid out with its happy red, blue, yellow, and green dots smiling up at them. "Me first!" Luke announced grabbing the spinner and giving the black dial a good twirl. "Yes! Right hand blue!" He promptly bent in half and placed his right hand on the first blue dot, consequently, so did Chase, except with his left. Gill smirked at the ridiculous scene then took his turn to spin the spinner. "Left leg yellow." He slid his left loafer under Luke and on the yellow dot. Now it was Chase's turn. While still bent over with all the blood rushing to his head, Chase flicked the dial with his index finger. "Right foot blue. Oh, that's easy!" So he simply turned his body sideways and placed his sandaled foot on the blue dot one away from where Luke's hand was.

"My turn!" Proclaimed Luke, stealing the spinner out from under Chase's nose. "Hmmm…Right hand green." He moved his hand to the green dot making Chase wobble precariously. Then Gill took his turn. "Left hand red…" He mumbled, swiveling his body into a lunging position as he reached for the red dot and had his right arm arched behind him dangling from Luke's left. On Chase's turn he got a 'Left leg blue' and he smiled happily at his simple move while the other two were having a harder time balancing. It only got worse from there. Moments later, Luke was nearly a pretzel as he tried to reach all the dots with his limbs. With his left arm on red and his right arm on green, it was a stretch, but not all that bad. But his legs were all twisted. One looped over Gill and the other sprawled under Chase, all while trying not to touch the ground. Then on Gill's turn he spun a 'Right hand on yellow'.

"Uh-oh" Luke groaned, which was then followed by a yelp when Gill moved his right hand quickly toward the yellow dot, knocking Luke's balance completely off as his hand was forced to follow. They all fell in a heap, Chase smashed on the bottom, Luke pinned in the middle, and Gill on top staring at the ceiling.

"Well….that was short lived." Chase moaned from under Luke.

"Yeah." Luke said, trying to wiggle free. "Lesson learned: Do not play Twister in handcuffs."

"I would have thought that had been obvious…" Muttered Gill.

---

Finally Luke approved of them going to sleep. Either he was physically tired or he was tired of the lame things they had come up with to entertain themselves. Now they all were sprawled on the floor of Gill's room on futons in the order of their cuffs.

Luke was spread eagle, staring up at the dark ceiling as the breeze from the open window caressed his cheek. Chase was laying with his right arm behind his head, his mind swimming in his precious memories of the previous night. (His date with Akari.) And Gill was curled with his back to the other two, feigning sleep, his eyes open in tiny slits, and his hair fluffed out like a new born chick's. He was praying for sleep to take him away from this horrible situation, and that it could be morning. Even though it was practically impossible for him to actually fall asleep, seeing as the dang crickets outside were having a freakin fiesta.

Luke interrupted the crickets as he whispered in the darkness, "Are you asleep Chase?"

"No." Was the reply from the other boy.

"Oh." There was a long pause that was filled with more annoying chirping sounds, then he finally spoke again. "I was wondering…"

"About what?" Chase asked.

"I was wondering…if you _really_ liked Akari? Like as much more than a friend…?"

There were uncomfortable rustlings on Chase's side of the room as he tried to hide his face even though they couldn't see him blushing in the dark. "Yes." He finally said. "I do."

Gill shut his eyes tightly feeling as though the world had stopped. The crickets stopped chirping, the wind stopped blowing, he even stopped breathing. Why did it hurt so much to hear that? He had seen it coming, it wasn't a surprise. But it hurt all the same. It ached as if there was a big ol' pit in his stomach.

_As more than a friend…?_ He thought. _Could I like Akari as more than a friend too?_

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**Well there you have it. The amazing adventures of Gill, Chase, and Luke!**

**There is a slight bit of the story line at the end, but other than that it is all sillyness!**

**Hope you liked it! Please Review!!! (reviews give me inspiration wink wink)**

**Oh, and if you have no idea what Twister is then I'm sorry. That whole section must have been quite confusing but I couldn't resist! Please don't try playing Twister in handcuffs at home. Thanks!**


	11. Calvawalvin

Part 11

Thanks to Animelover09 and everyone who reviewed! You guys are the best! Enjoy!

**Truth or Dare**

**Calvawalvin**

**The door to Town Hall burst open revealing an out of breath Akari wearing a wide grin.**

"**Oh! Good morning, Akari!" Elli exclaimed, glancing up from her pile of paperwork. "You're early!"**

**Akari waved to her then spotted Gill trying to pretend she didn't exist. She skittered across the floor colliding into Gill's desk smashing her toe. "Yow!" She bellowed, jumping around on one foot and flailing her arms. Then she froze as she heard another voice calling out in pain. "Lukie? Is that you?" She asked hesitantly still holding her foot in the air. **

**She got down on all fours and crawled under Gill's legs to peek under his desk where Luke was sitting with his knees up to his chin. Next to him Chase was laying on the floor reading a book; (They were still handcuffed.) he looked up, his face turning an instant violet. "H-Hey Akari!" The tall peach haired boy exclaimed. **

"**Why, isn't it my favorite trio!" Akari cheered sweetly. "Did everyone get along…?" She asked with a glance at Gill who hunkered down further in his chair refusing to acknowledge her. **

**Luke tugged at a lock of his blue hair. "I guess you could say that…" He mumbled. "Nobody died…"**

"**There are still three hours left before we can be un cuffed." Gill said icily. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."**

**Luke gulped, taking Gill's comment for the threat it was. Akari giggled and looked up at Gill again with her big brown eyes. A blush flared across his cheeks, his eyes quickly flicking away. She frowned slightly with worry then turned to Luke and said, "I have the key with me right now. I can un cuff you if you like."**

"**Oh please!!!!" Luke begged. "I cant stand not being able to use my hands anymore! I need go do something active and not just sit here like a Gill on a log!"**

**Gill's foot shot forward, slamming Luke in the shin. "You see what I have to put up with!?" Luke yelled incredulously to Akari as he winced in pain. "I'm going to have bruises all up and down my legs thanks to that sweater vest wearing freak!" Then he yelped as another kick was aimed at him. **

"**Stop hurting him Gilly!" Akari cried grabbing a hold of his leg and burying her face in his knees. Gill's face turned pink. Luke poked his head out from under the desk and was going to yell at the blond boy, but froze. "Why are you blushing!?" Luke bawled.**

**There was a girly squeal from the other side of the room that caught their attention. Elli's hands were covering her flushed face and had gotten all excited when Akari hugged Gill's legs and then Gill **_**blushed**_**! **_**So cute!!!!!!**_** She yelled inside her head. **

"**I'm not blushing!" Gill claimed getting to his feet only to fall back into his chair because of Akari's grip on his legs. "Just take these things off us Akari!"**

**She grinned up at him then leaned back and began to fish in her pockets. "Hmmm…" She mused as she pulled out wads of lint and cookie crumbs, but no key. "Now where could it have gone to…I had it a moment ago." She began to wade around looking for the little key. "Where are you Mr. Key…?" She called. **

**Gill was rubbing his eyes in disbelief, Chase was starring at his hands with utter hopelessness on his face, and Luke was peeking his head around the desk trying to help find the key. "There it is!" He exclaimed, then proceeded to slip his hands out of the handcuffs and walk to where the key was by the door, placed it in Akari's open palm, then went back to his spot on the floor and slid his wrists back through the cuffs. **

**The other four people in the room, including Elli, stared at him in awe. Gill was the one to crack first. "You could have gotten out this whole time and you didn't!?" He yelled into the face of the boy who sat directly in front of him. **

"**Y-Yes…" Luke mumbled leaning back. "I thought that would be breaking the rules…"**

**Chase slapped himself on the head causing Luke's hand to rise involuntarily. "That would have solved all our problems!"**

**Luke shrugged. "Well, Akari. How about you set us free!" He cried. **

**Gill rolled his eyes and held his head in his hands, he could feel a migraine coming on.**

**---**

**A few hours later the four of them were seated in their usual spots under the tree. Akari fell back on the grass, using her arms as a cushion, and stared up at the branches of the huge tree. "What a great day!" She sang with a contented sigh. Two of the three boys were stealing glances at her. The third was pulling bark off the tree trunk absentmindedly. "Too bad the summer is almost over." She continued with a ring of sadness in her voice. **

**Gill dug his nails into the earth. For some reason the thought of summer ending seemed like whatever time he had with Akari was ending too. He felt as though she was going to be leaving, like he would never see her again, and that thought made his stomach hurt. He glanced over at Chase who had sneaked next to Akari and was pointing out a cloud that looked like an apple. Chase honestly cared for her. And that made his stomach hurt even worse when he saw how she seemed to reciprocate his feelings. **

_**As more than a friend…**_** Gill thought remembering Luke's question from the previous night. **_**That means he loves her,…but……….so do I. **_

"**Hello there!" Came a booming voice from at the bottom of the hill. Gill was forced away from his realizations as the sturdy form of Calvin the Archeologist strode up the hill with Pat running up behind him. "I'm sorry!" The green haired girl exclaimed. "When I tried to explain to him where I was going he insisted on coming along."**

"**No problem!" Akari said cheerfully, rocking into a sitting position. "Calvawalvin is welcome anytime!"**

"**Calvawalvin…?" Gill muttered to himself. **

"**That's really nice of you, Akari." Calvin said as he sat down comfortably on a root. "I haven't played Truth or Dare since I was a kid! Never imagined you all were playing it everyday! What a great way to get to know your friends better!" **

"**And to get good blackmail for your enemies." Came the soft sweet voice of Luna as she made her way up the hill with her sister and Juli on her tail. She put her hands on her hips when she saw Luke without his blond counterpart. "Where is Bo!?" **

**Luke shrugged. "How should I know. I'm not his keeper."**

"**You **_**should**_** know because I cut my hair for him and his stupid dare!" She fell onto the grass in a huff. "Don't tell me I cut my hair for nothing!"**

"**Cut your hair?" Luke asked with a tip of his head. "I can't even tell."**

**Luna whipped something out of her frilly pocket and shoved it under Luke's nose. It was a lock of her hair tied with a dainty ribbon. "See!" She exclaimed. "Proof!"**

"**Oh, you better not let Mayor Hamilton see that….He just might--" Akari started but was instantly cut off as Gill flung himself at her covering her mouth with his hand. (Refer to Chapter 1)**

**Juli raised an eyebrow at the scene of Gill sprawled over Akari. "Is there something going on between you two……"**

**Chase stiffened noticeably, Luke choked on his saliva, Candace's face flushed prettily, Luna made gagging noises, Pat stifled a gasp, Calvin just grinned clulessly, Gill scrambled back to his spot near Luke and tried to hide his florescent face, and Akari looked at Juli with a knowing smile and said, "Yes!"**

**Everyone gasped including Gill, whose face became even redder. **

"**Gill is my friend." Akari said. And then everyone realized she was completely clueless to what Juli actually meant. After that there was an awkward silence that was broken as a blond head appeared on the hillside.**

"**Thank heavens, its Bo." Luna said, running to the younger boy to show him the proof of her cutting her hair. Then shortly after Toby wandered by with his fishing pole still in his hand. **

**Finally they were all settled. Let the games begin!**

"**Whose turn is it!?" Luke bawled. **

"**Me! Me! Oh! Pick me!" Bo sang at his shoulder. **

"**Okay, Bo, you can go first." Akari said.**

"**Woo!" He punched the air with his fist. Juli sighed. "You really are like a mini Luke…"**

**Bo ignored him. "Okay, Juli. Truth or dare?"**

"**Truth."**

"**Why do you dress like that?"**

**Juli's lips twitched into a frown. "Because I feel like it!!!"**

**Bo nearly fell over in shock at Juli's sudden and uncharacteristic rant. He nodded his little blond head as big crocodile tears welled into his eyes. Akari patted his leg reassuringly. **

**Juli and turned to Calvin with an almost creepy regain of composure. "Truth or Dare?"**

"**Truth."**

"**Because it is your first truth, I am required by truth or dare law to ask you if you fancy anyone."**

"**Uh….what?"**

**Juli sighed. "Do you like somebody?"**

"**Oh! Yes, yes of course!" He nudged Pat playfully. "I forgot how this whole game worked out." He admitted to her. "Then its my turn now right?"**

"**Yes! Pick anyone!" Akari cheered.**

"**Hmm…." Calvin rubbed his chin in thought. "Luke, why not you! Truth or dare!? Which is it!?"**

"**Dare!" Luke exclaimed excitedly. **

"**Great! I know just the thing!" Calvin said slapping his knee. "I dare you to…eat dirt!" And with that Calvin was beside himself with laughter while the rest of them where quite confused as to what was so funny. **

**But Luke just shrugged and brought a handful of dirt to his mouth and swallowed. No big deal. He had done it all the time when he was little anyway. "Sick." Luna spat. **

"**Okay!" Luke said, once Calvin had calmed down. "Toby, truth or dare."**

**Toby lifted his head slightly from where he was sprawled on the ground between Candace and Calvin. "Truth." He said sleepily. **

**Luke leaned over to Bo and cupped his hands over his ears, much to the younger boy's displeasure, before he said, "Are you homosexual?"**

**The air became impossibly thick in a matter of seconds. Nobody knew where to look. Should they look at Luke? Or Toby? No! So everyone just got a good look at their feet. Everyone, that it besides Akari, who just sat there with a confused expression on her face. **

"**What do you mean?" She asked inquisitively. **

**Gill slapped himself in the head. Stupid Luke should have protected Akari by covering her ears, not Bo! **

**Luke could sense he was in a tough spot. "Well what I mean is… if Toby is attracted to…you know…"**

"**No…." She shook her head. "I don't understand." **

"**You know…" Luke said still scrambling to protect Bo's innocence as he was destroying Akari's. "I want to know if he is…gay…"**

**Realization dawned on Akari's face. "Oh….**_**gay**_**…."**

**Luke nodded slowly. **

"**Well of course he's gay!" She declared. "He's happy!"**

**Everyone nearly fell over. **

"**I never see Toby sad! I bet he is the gayest person I have ever seen in my entire life!" She continued on in her 'defense' of the white haired boy who was sitting up now with a droopy smile. "But then again…" She tipped her head to the side. "You are gay too, Luke!" **

**Juli burst out laughing at that one while everyone else tried to hide their smiles. **

"**You are gay all day, every day! Maybe you are even more gay than Toby!" She smiled at Luke sweetly while his face went a violet color. **

"**No I don't mean happy!" He exclaimed. "I **_**mean**_**, is Toby attracted to guys!"**

**Akari's smile dropped from her face, and then fell further as her jaw went slack. Gill slapped Luke in the back of the head then quickly came to Akari's, and Toby's, rescue. "Hey, look at the time! How about we finish this up later!"**

"**What are you talking about Gill!" Luke rubbed the back of his head tenderly, finally releasing Bo's ears. "We just started!" **

"**Well, I think we have had enough for the day." Gill said getting up and offering his hand to Akari. She stared up at him for a moment before taking his hand then winding her arm through his. **

"**Yeah." Chase said, taking the hint. "I'm pretty tired. We will meet back here tomorrow same time?" He looked at Akari for reassurance. She nodded quietly. **

"**Well, that was fun…" Calvin muttered, not convincing anyone. Then he leaned into Pat and whispered. "Does weird stuff like this happen often?"**

"**Oh yes!" She whispered back. "You should have been here the other day…" She proceeded to tell him stories of their truth or dare games as they walked side by side down the hill. **

**Luna was running down the hill now with Candace and Juli lagging behind her. "If you guys don't walk any faster I am going to die of old age!" She called over her shoulder. **

"**If only…" Juli said just loud enough for her to hear. Candace looked up at him in shock while Luna started yelling death threats. **

**There was just the six of them left under the tree; Akari, Gill, Chase, Luke, Bo, and Toby. **

**Bo was tugging at Luke's shirt. "Come on! Let's go! Let's go!" He begged. **

"**Just hold on a second!" Luke yelled, pushing the shorter boy away and standing before Toby. "I want my question answered!"**

**Toby just smiled, laid back down on the grass and shut his eyes. "The game is over…I guess you will just never know…" He said dreamily.**

**Luke cursed under his breath feeling ripped off, but didn't push it since Bo was present. "Fine! Fine!" He exclaimed giving into his little friend's desperate tugs. "Let's go!"**

**And then there was three. Akari was still in shock, (Yes she is that naive) with both Chase and Gill vying for her attention. **

"**I can walk her home, Gill." Chase said, pulling her away from him by the waist. **

"**No, it's okay." Gill rebuffed. "I'll walk her home. I do it all the time." He said it simply but Chase apparently caught the venom in it by the way he narrowed his eyes. **_**Don't think you can take her away from me so easily…**_**is what he meant. Yeah…it was a pretty possessive attitude…but if it kept Chase away who cares. **

**Chase looked at Gill with new eyes. No longer was he looking at the mayor's son and Akari's friend, he was looking at an enemy. "Alright…" Chase said, removing his hand from around Akari's waist. "You can walk her home, but I need to say goodnight." **

**Gill shrugged and said, "Okay, make it quick."**

**Chase stood before Akari and placed his hands on her shoulders looking down at her confused little heart shaped face. Summoning all his courage he dipped his head down and pecked her quickly on the lips before his face flamed up and me muttered a 'Goodnight!' as he turned and ran down the hill. **

**Gill just stared at his retreating form in disbelief. **_**I cant believe I didn't see that one coming! **_**He yelled at himself in his head. **_**What if Akari's all googly eyed for him now! If she wasn't already, that is… **_**He was immune to the fact that the now utterly confused Akari was tottering down the hill all by herself until he heard her gasp as she tripped over a rock and fell headfirst down the hill. **

**He ran after her and caught her around the middle, trying desperately to stop their fall. The momentum was too much so he just held her close, cradling her head to his chest, using his body to protect her. They landed in a heap at the bottom. **

**He winced at a sharp pain in his back and then winced again as Akari was scrambling on top of him. "Oh my gosh, Gill! What just happened!? I can't believe I spaced out like that!!" He opened his eyes slowly to find her face was shockingly close to his. Her big chocolate eyes gazing affectionately into his. "Are you okay…?" She asked softly.**

"**Yeah…" Gill murmured unable to break contact with those eyes. "I think I will be okay…"**

**Her eyebrows perked up. "You sure? You're face is all red."**

**He quickly sat up nearly butting heads with her as he frantically tried to cover his face. His heart had been racing, it was an exciting feeling and as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye his heart skipped. She smiled into his eyes and got to her feet, pulling him along with her. "You gunna walk me home?" She asked, stringing her arm again though his. **

"**Yes, of course. Always." He said smiling back at her, trying to let her know that he will always be there for her. "Great!" She exclaimed as she started them off down the road to her house. **

**Then she suddenly stopped and looked up at him as if she remembered something. "Hey Gill…"She mumbled, suddenly nervous as she looked down at her boots. **

"**Yes?" **

"**You aren't…you know,…what Luke said…are you "**

**He cocked his head in confusion. "Huh?"**

"**What I mean is…" She shuffled her boots in the dirt self-consciously. "You don't…I mean…you aren't attracted to…other guys are you…?"**

**His eyebrows shot up. **

"**I mean, it would be okay if you were!" She quickly added, looking up into his eyes with an emotion he had never seen exposed in her before. "I mean, you would still be my best friend! It doesn't matter what you are, it matters who you are! And its who you are that I love!" **

**His head was in a fog as he stared down at those large doe eyes. She was gripping his arm so tightly that all that registered of what she had just said was that she thought he was gay. He wondered if this is what made her mute a while back. "No, no, no!" He exclaimed shaking his head. "I'm heterosexual!"**

**Her eyes widened. "Huh?" **

"**I-I like girls!" **

"**Oh!" She then sighed and smiled once again into his eyes. "You're blushing!"**

**He turned away from her quickly. **

"**So there is a girl in particular, huh?" She teased. **

**He caught her eye again. **_**Yeah, its you. **_**He wanted to say it. He wanted to say it so badly but he couldn't. So he settled with, "Yeah…I do."**

**That strange look in her eye returned briefly then vanished. She started walking again, pulling him along at her side. She was talking his ear off about the latest episode of 'I couldn't help but Love you' as the sun began to set behind them. **

_**This…this feels right…**_**He thought squeezing her arm closer. **_**I can't lose her.**_

_**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

**The whole reference to chapter 1 thing was when Akari found out that Hamilton made dolls of the people in Waffle Town and used the person's actual hair on the doll. Gill practically attacked her in order to keep that a secret. Just so you know. **

**Please let me know what you think of this chapter! **

**The idea of Luke asking Toby if he was gay came from the wonderful Animelover09! I hope you like the way I fitted it in! It ended up being the major question!**

**And to anyone else out there who has a wonderful truth or dare please share! I will for sure try to fit them in! (Please help me, I'm practically out of ideas!)**

**Thanks again!**


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